The Chicago Cubs made a huge move this offseason by upgrading their outfield when they acquired right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros.
He is good enough to anchor the lineup, and they are hoping he will be with the team for the long-haul.
Tucker is an impending free agent at the end of the season and the team must try to sign him to a long-term deal. But if they are unable to work something out, they at least can rest a little easier knowing their outfield is in good hands with the young players on the roster.
In the minor leagues, Kevin Alcantara is one of the top prospects in baseball. He has a bright future with the franchise and is immensely talented.
He could be patrolling the outfield grass at Wrigley Field for years to come with current center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
As a rookie, he struggled out of the gate. He produced a .203/.253/.329 slash line in 174 plate appearances, hitting three home runs with five doubles, three triples and 17 stolen bases without getting caught once.
Crow-Armstrong wasn’t making much of an impact at the plate with 45 strikeouts and only eight walks drawn. His advanced stats were all well below league average, as the only thing keeping him in the mix for playing time was his glove.
His defense has been near elite levels in center field, as he was making a positive impact in that regard. But, if his hitting didn’t improve, the team was going to have to make some adjustments to the lineup.
That didn’t end up needing to happen. Crow-Armstrong found his groove at the plate in the second half.
In 236 plate appearances, he had a slash line of .262/.310/.425 with seven home runs, eight doubles and three triples. He remained a threat on the basepaths, stealing 10 bases and being caught three times.
His advanced stats all skyrocketed to numbers well above league-average, as he was arguably one of the best players in baseball in August last year.
The slow first half could very well have been what kept him off the MLB All-Under-25 team that Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic (subscription required) put together.
Crow-Armstrong made the honorable mention list, but he has the skill set to be in the lineup in 2026 since he will turn only 23 in March.
The Cubs go as he does, with his numbers in victories being elite.
When the team loses, he doesn’t play well, performing well below replacement level.
With his strong defensive skills, he has a very high floor, so at the very least, he will be impactful in that area of the game, which provides the team with value.
The offensive part of his game will determine his ceiling.
If the improvements made in the second half are here to stay, he has All-Star-level potential.
