A Season for the Ages: Pete Crow-Armstrong Joins Mays and Bonds in Elite 30-30, Gold Glove Club.vc
The 23-year-old phenom hit 31 homers, stole 35 bases, and led MLB with a staggering 19 five-star catches to win his first Gold Glove and cap one of the best all-around seasons in Cubs history.
CHICAGO — When Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) was in the minor leagues, the hype surrounding his defense was so immense that Chicago Cubs fans had one simple, modest request: “Just hit a little.”
In his first full season, he did more than that. He didn’t just live up to the ridiculous defensive expectations; he “blew them away,” all while becoming one of the league’s most dynamic offensive threats.
The 23-year-old phenom’s 2025 campaign will go down as one of the best individual seasons in franchise history, as he not only joined the 30-30 club but also won his first National League Gold Glove Award.
The Offensive Explosion
The “hit a little” request was answered with a cannon. Crow-Armstrong was a centerpiece of the 92-win Cubs, finishing the year with:
- 31 Home Runs
- 35 Stolen Bases
- 5.4 fWAR (the highest value for any Cubs player in 2025)
This performance places him on an incredible list of players who have hit 30+ home runs, stolen 30+ bases, and won a Gold Glove in the same season, joining Hall of Famers like Willie Mays, Barry Larkin, and other legends like Barry Bonds.
A Defensive Season for the Ages
As impressive as his offense was, his defense was somehow even better. His 2025 Gold Glove win was backed by some of the most dominant defensive statistics in the Statcast era.
Crow-Armstrong led all MLB outfielders with 19 five-star catches (plays with a 0-25% catch probability).
To put that number in perspective:
- The player who finished second, Boston’s Wilyer Abreu, had nine.
- PCA individually had more five-star catches than 28 of the 29 other MLB teams had as a whole.
Yes, Crow-Armstrong “floundered” at the plate during the second half of the season as pitchers adjusted. But looking at the “totality of his season,” it remains one of the most valuable and historic rookie/sophomore campaigns in recent MLB history.
He wasn’t just a valuable player—he was a historic one. And as the Cubs look to 2026, the sky is the limit for their 23-year-old superstar.
