MESA, Ariz. — If he evaluated the trade today from a New York standpoint, even Javier Báez would have to give his own deal from the Cubs to the Mets for young outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong an enthusiastic and exaggerated thumbs down.
Crow-Armstrong, looking nothing like the guy who struggled to hit at times in a big league cameo last year, just might be on the cusp of stardom at 22. Cactus League numbers can be a desert mirage, but Crow-Armstrong’s .522 batting average and three early homers are noteworthy.
Scouts say Crow-Armstrong is such an off-the-charts center fielder and base runner that he only will have to hit a little, and the potential is there for much more than that. The way he’s raking now has some talking in superlatives.
“He’s the best player I’ve ever seen,” new Cubs third base coach Quintin Berry said, tongue only partly in cheek. “He’s putting on a show. He can run. He’s strong. He’s stealing bases. He’s doing it all.”