MESA, AZ — Chicago Cubs top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA), known for his gritty, old-school approach to baseball, is making a notable exception to his traditional training methods by integrating virtual reality (VR) to accelerate his development at the plate.
The 20-year-old outfielder, who was recently optioned to the minor leagues after an impressive showing in his first Major League spring training, is utilizing the technology primarily to improve his hitting against left-handed pitchers and challenging velocities.
The VR Edge: Facing the “Cuban Missile”
Crow-Armstrong, who admitted he prefers to “get [bleeping] down and grind” in traditional settings, accepted an invitation from his agents to partner with WIN Reality, a VR training company. This technology allows him to simulate at-bats against elite pitchers he wouldn’t normally face in the minor leagues.
- Elite Simulation: PCA often uses the headset in his hotel room to practice against virtual representations of formidable pitchers, including left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman, who boasts a career ERA of 2.52 and pitched to a stellar 1.17 ERA in the 2025 season.
- Pitch Recognition: WIN Reality simulates the repertoire of over 600 pitchers, helping players like Crow-Armstrong focus on pitch tracking, strike-zone recognition, and timing without physical fatigue.
- Organization Buy-In: Cubs President Jed Hoyer supports the move, expressing surprise that more players don’t use the technology: “You can’t take endless swings, but you can do it endlessly in your room at night. I’m surprised it hasn’t caught on more.”
Conquering the Left-on-Left Challenge
The focus on VR training is tied directly to developing Crow-Armstrong into an elite, all-around player, not just a defensive whiz who excels against right-handers.
- Initial Success: Last season at Low-A Myrtle Beach, Crow-Armstrong provided a glimpse of his potential against lefties, batting an outstanding .591 (13-for-22) with two home runs against southpaws in the Carolina League.
- Development Areas: While his overall slash line was impressive after recovering from shoulder surgery (.354 AVG, 1.000 OPS at Myrtle Beach), his walk rate dipped and his strikeout rate climbed during his promotion to High-A South Bend (up to 24%). VR training provides a targeted method to address these plate discipline metrics.
- Prospect Peers: PCA joins a list of other highly-touted prospects, including Yankees’ Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones, who also utilize the WIN Reality product, indicating the technology’s growing legitimacy at the professional level.
While Crow-Armstrong’s Gold Glove-caliber defense raises the possibility of a late-season MLB call-up, the primary goal remains continued offensive improvement, likely starting at Double-A Tennessee.
The Cubs organization is clearly invested in using technology to develop their players. Would you like to see a comparison of the VR training approach being used by the Cubs (Crow-Armstrong) versus a more traditional training method used by a different MLB team?
