Pete Crow-Armstrong

1. Amateur Career

Pete Crow-Armstrong attended Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles, California, where he was a prominent baseball player. In 2019, during his junior year, he distinguished himself by being named the Los Angeles Times Player of the Year. This achievement followed a season where he batted .395, hitting three home runs and recording 23 RBIs, 40 runs, and 47 hits over 34 games, while striking out only seven times. That same summer, he participated in the 2019 Under Armour All-America Baseball Game.

In his senior year in 2020, Crow-Armstrong maintained an impressive .514 batting average before the baseball season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He had initially committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University in the fall of 2017 but ultimately chose to declare for the 2020 MLB draft instead.

2. Professional Career

Pete Crow-Armstrong's professional baseball journey began with his selection in the MLB draft, followed by his development in the minor league systems of the New York Mets and later the Chicago Cubs, before making his Major League Baseball debut.

2.2. Chicago Cubs Minor League (2021-2023)

On July 30, 2021, the Mets traded Crow-Armstrong to the Chicago Cubs as part of a deal that sent Javier Báez and Trevor Williams to the Mets. Reflecting on the trade on September 16, 2024, Crow-Armstrong revealed his surprise, stating he "didn't feel like I was a part of any trade talks" he had seen. He added, "I had a sling on my shoulder... I thought it was a joke."

To begin the 2022 season, he was assigned to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Low-A Carolina League. His strong performance led to his promotion to the South Bend Cubs of the High-A Midwest League in late May. That year, he was selected to represent the Cubs at the 2022 All-Star Futures Game. His exceptional defensive skills were recognized with a 2022 MiLB Gold Glove Award, naming him one of the top three defensive outfielders in the minor leagues. Furthermore, he and his team, the South Bend Cubs, won the 2022 Midwest League championship.

In 2023, Crow-Armstrong was among 32 non-roster players invited to the Cubs' spring training camp on February 6. He began the 2023 season with the Tennessee Smokies of the Double-A Southern League, where he was recognized as the Cubs' top prospect and the sixth-ranked outfield prospect in MLB. For the second consecutive year, he was selected to participate in the All-Star Futures Game. On July 31, Crow-Armstrong was promoted to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. In 73 games with Double-A Tennessee, he recorded a slash line of .289/.371/.527, hitting 14 home runs, 60 RBIs, 68 runs scored, and 27 stolen bases. In 34 games for Iowa, his slash line was .271/.350/.479, including six home runs, two triples, seven doubles, 30 runs from 38 hits, and 22 RBIs.

3. International Career

Pete Crow-Armstrong has an extensive international career with USA Baseball national teams across various age levels. He first joined USA Baseball in 2014 as a member of the 12U National Team. This team competed in the COPABE U-12 Pan-American Championship, finishing with a 7-2 record and earning a silver medal after a loss to Nicaragua.

In 2016, he participated in the 14U National Team Development Program. The following year, in 2017, he joined the 15U National Team, which secured a gold medal at the COPABE U-15 Pan-American Championships after the championship game was canceled. In 2018, Crow-Armstrong advanced to the 18U National Team, starting every game and helping the team earn a gold medal at the COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships.

In 2019, he started in the 17U National Team Development Program before being called up to the 18U National Team for the 2019 U-18 Baseball World Cup. During the tournament, Crow-Armstrong concluded with a .364 batting average, 12 hits, nine runs scored, four doubles, three triples, and three stolen bases. Team USA won the gold medal, and Crow-Armstrong was additionally named to the U-18 All-World Team.

4. Player Profile

Crow-Armstrong is highly regarded for his distinctive playing style, particularly his exceptional defensive abilities and base-running. His defensive skills are considered elite, and he has received recognition such as the MiLB Gold Glove Award for his outfield play. His speed and acumen on the basepaths are also key strengths, contributing to his value as a player. While his defensive and base-running prowess are well-established, the development of his hitting has been a focal point and is considered a crucial factor in determining his future impact at the Major League level. His hitting power is seen as an area with potential for significant growth.

5. Personal Life and Anecdotes

Pete Crow-Armstrong played Little League in the Sherman Oaks Little League in Los Angeles. His parents, Matthew John Armstrong and Ashley Crow, are both actors. His mother, Ashley Crow, appeared in the baseball film Little Big League, which Crow-Armstrong lists as one of his favorite movies.

Though born in Southern California, Crow-Armstrong developed an early fandom for the Chicago Cubs. His father, a Cubs fan, showed him footage of Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout game, which solidified his allegiance. As a child, he even constructed a Wrigley Field-inspired ivy-covered wall in his backyard. He admired Javier Báez, who was a key player for the Cubs. Ironically, Crow-Armstrong was later traded to the Cubs in exchange for Báez. He described his reaction to the trade, saying, "I was shocked. I had no idea what to think."

Due to the length of his last name, "CROW-ARMSTRONG," his uniform at the South Bend Cubs (a Cubs minor league affiliate) featured his name split into two lines: "CROW-" on the top and "ARMSTRONG" on the bottom.

6. Awards and Honors

• MiLB
  • Midwest League champion (2022)
  • MiLB Awards All-MiLB Prospect Second Team (2023)
  • 2× All-Star Futures Game selection (2022, 2023)
  • Baseball America Double-A All-Star selection (2022)
  • Southern League Postseason All-Star selection (2023)
  • Midwest League Postseason All-Star selection (2022)
  • 2× MiLB.com Organization All-Star selection (2022, 2023)
  • MiLB Awards Defensive Player of the Year (2023)
  • Rawlings MiLB Gold Glove Award (2022)
  • Midwest League Player of the Month (August 2022)
  • International League Player of the Week (May 26, 2024)
  • Carolina League Player of the Week (May 1, 2022)
• International
  • U-18 Baseball World Cup Silver Medalist (2019)
  • COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championships Gold Medalist (2018)
  • COPABE U-15 Pan-American Championships Gold Medalist (2017)
  • COPABE U-12 Pan-American Championships Silver Medalist (2014)
  • U-18 Baseball World Cup All-World Team (2019)
• High school
  • Mission League champion (2018)
  • Under Armour All-America Baseball Game selection (2019)
  • Perfect Game All-American Classic selection (2019)
  • MaxPreps High School Baseball All-American Second Team (2019)
  • MaxPreps Underclass All-American Baseball Junior Team (2019)
  • MaxPreps California All-State Large Schools First Team (2019)
  • PBR California All-State First Team (2019)
  • All-CIF Southern Section Division I Baseball Team (2019)
  • Los Angeles Times All-Star High School Baseball Team (2019)
  • Los Angeles Daily News Baseball Player of the Year (2019)

7. Career Statistics