Pete Crow-Armstrong DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

According to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, the Chicago Cubs are not expected to utilize young outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong as their leadoff hitter early in the season. Manager Craig Counsell said he is "open-minded" about the decision but will probably not have him open the season in that role. The head skipper also noted that Crow-Armstrong's hesitance to steal bases late in the season is a part of this decision. While Crow-Armstrong began to find his footing in the second half of 2024 as he held a .262/.310/.425 line with ten stolen bases and eight doubles, he swiped only one of those bags in September. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his progress during spring training, as his outlook would be altered if he moved to the bottom half of the lineup. As a result, this would likely make Ian Happ or Nico Hoerner (elbow) the top candidates for the leadoff spot. Given Happ's elite on-base skills, he would have a path to tallying a career-high in runs batting in front of Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went a perfect 5-for-5 in getting on base in Wednesday's 14-10 win over the Pirates, collecting four hits and was even intentionally walked in his fifth plate appearance. The 22-year-old has been hot as of late, with multi-hit games in four of his last six, going 11-for-23 (.478) with three extra-base hits, seven RBI, nine runs scored, a 5:6 BB:K, and three stolen bases over that stretch. After seeing his batting average dip all the way down to .180 on July 26, the former first-round draft pick has raised it all the way up to .233, not far below the major league average of .244. Experiencing such futility over his first 66 games, it might be hard to trust him leading up to the fantasy playoffs, but he does have the pedigree and for those willing to ride the wave, the youngster is still available in almost 70% of Yahoo leagues.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong had a wild day on Monday as his team blew out the Pittsburgh Pirates 18-8. Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-5 with three singles, a walk, an RBI, and three stolen bases. Crow-Armstrong has had an underwhelming year at the plate, but he has been better lately. In his past 15 games, he is slashing .306/.382/.633 with four homers and nine RBI. Despite his inconsistencies at the plate, though, he has emerged as one of the league's best base stealers, stealing 26 of 27 bags this season (ranking 15th in the MLB). Fantasy managers searching for speed or an outfielder should consider adding Crow-Armstrong, as he's only rostered in 15% of Yahoo leagues.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong laced a line drive off the right field wall and scampered all the way around the bases for an inside-the-park home run in Friday's 6-3 win over the Marlins. It was the fastest recorded time around the bases this season as the speedster did it in just 14.1 seconds. The 22-year-old also singled, walked, and scored twice. The former first-rounder's batting average sat at .183 entering July 28, but since then he's gone 22-for-75 (.293) with four doubles, two triples, three home runs, and five stolen bases. Now batting .216 on the season, he could be a difference-maker down the stretch as he's shown the pop for extra-base hits and has the base-stealing chops to make him one of the most dangerous runners in the game, so long as he's getting on base, which he's finally doing.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI, and a run scored in Wednesday's 13-4 win over the Reds. The speedster also stole his 20th base of the season. Despite the stat-stuffing day, the 22-year-old has had a disappointing season to this point, stolen bases aside. The former first-rounder is slashing just .194/.239/.311 over 213 plate appearances. Perhaps with some regular at-bats he'll find a groove at some point, but unless you are in need of steals, the left-handed hitter should be left on the waiver wire.