When someone gets drafted to an MLB team they will typically start their journey to the majors with the Low-A team affiliated with the organization they are drafted to. The order of operations in the MLB is Low-A, High-A, Double A, Triple-A, and then the MLB, or for baseball fanatics, The Show. For example, when one gets drafted by the Chicago Cubs, they will begin with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. Myrtle Beach is Chicago’s Low-A baseball team. After the organization believes that you have performed well in Low-A they will promote you to High-A. Going along with the Chicago example, the Cubs High-A team is the South Bend Cubs. After South Bend one will then travel southeast to the Tennessee Smokies (Double-A). Once you have performed at the top of your game at the Double-A level, your final destination before Wrigley is Iowa. Now the jump from Iowa to Chicago is a big deal. In fact, here’s a story about a top prospect player who made that jump just this week.
On June 29, 1994, Warner Bros. released the movie “Little Big League ” featuring Ashley Crow who, after playing the mother of a young major league prospect on television, would eventually become the mom of her own young major leaguer. Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) grew up in Sherman Oaks, CA with both parents in show business, however, he chose baseball. PCA started playing little league at Sherman Oaks Little League at a very young age with dreams of eventually playing in the big leagues. During his junior season at Harvard-Westlake high school, PCA was named Los Angeles Times Player of the Year after batting .395 and striking out just seven times. For all the non baseball fans out there, that’s pretty good.
On June 10, 2020, PCA got drafted 19th overall to the New York Mets. He played for the Mets single-A team, the St. Lucie Mets, for the majority of his time with the organization. Crow-Armstrong completed his time with the Mets having scored 6 runs, stolen 2 bases, and batted a .417. At the end of his first full season with St. Lucie, Crow-Armstrong suffered a torn labrum in his non throwing arm. In a video interview with his current team, when asked about the injury, Crow-Armstrong said, “I treated the rehab process like I just had a whole year to get better.”
On July 30, 2021, PCA was included in a trade to the Chicago Cubs for Javier Baez and Trevor Williams. As previously mentioned, when one gets drafted, or in this case traded, to a Major League team, they are first activated to the Single-A roster. With this being said, PCA started his first season as part of the Cubs organization playing outfield for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. As a Pelican, PCA touched home 39 times, had 7 home runs, stole 13 bases, and had a .354 batting average. On May 31, 2022, PCA was promoted to Chicago’s High-A team, the South Bend Cubs. While absolutely dominating center field for South Bend, PCA scored 50 runs, hit 9 home runs, stole 19 bases, and batted a .287.
April 4, 2023, also known as the day the music died… Nah music is still alive and well, the only significance of April 4 is it was the day THE Pete Crow-Armstrong got assigned to Chicago’s Double-A team, the Tennessee Smokies. During his ‘career’ in The Volunteer State, PCA racked up 68 runs, 14 home runs, stole 27 bases, and racked up a .289 batting average. Aug. 2023, Crow-Armstrong got activated to the Iowa Cubs, Chicago’s Triple-A team, also known as the last stop before Wrigleyville. As PCA finished out his Minor League career (spoiler he’s going to the bigs in a minute) Crow-Armstong had a cumulative stat list of 193 runs, 36 home runs, 71 stolen bases, and had a complete batting average of .301.
On Sept. 11, 2023, Crow-Armstrong was officially activated to the Chicago Cubs 40-man roster. Prior to Monday’s game against the Rockies, just hours after arriving in Chicago, Taylor McGregor had a quick word with PCA about the call up and how he’s feeling about officially being a part of the Major Leagues. McGregor asked Crow-Armstrong right off the bat (no pun intended), “How’d you get the call?” His response makes him sound almost like a regular person and not a #12 overall prospect and insane outfielder, “Jared Banner, the farm director, he rang me. I was hanging out watching football with a couple of the guys…” When asked to describe what it’s like to get the call as the team is trying to make the postseason, Crow-Armstrong answered as follows:“yeah, it’s special, and it’s definitely something that I’ve had on my mind for just about all year, you know…” The 21 year old Chicago hotshot is one week in and looking good! With a goal of bringing rings back to the city of Chicago (his words almost exactly) PCA is certainly on the right track.
