Tuesday’s game between the Chicago Cubs and the Colorado Rockies featured the debut of Cubs top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong. And he is already making his presence known in the field, robbing a Rockies hitter of an extra-base hit with an unbelievable catch.
Crow-Armstrong got the start in center field, and it goes without saying that any MLB debut comes with a ton of pressure.
This one has perhaps more pressure than most, as his mother was in the stands for his first game in the major leagues.
Crow-Armstrong has been lauded for his excellent fielding skills in the minor leagues, receiving an 80 of 80 grade for his fielding abilities by MLB.com.
Thus far, that has translated beautifully to the major league level, and it didn’t take long for fans to realize that Crow-Armstrong will likely be amongst the top defenders in all of baseball.
His first flash of brilliance in the field came in the bottom of the first inning, where Crow-Armstrong robbed Rockies slugger Nolan Jones of an extra-base hit and likely an RBI with a spectacular leaping catch near the center field wall.
Cubs starting pitcher Javier Assad gave Crow-Armstrong a tip of the cap after the catch, realizing that he likely saved the Cubs a run on the play.
Fans took to social media to express their excitement to potentially seeing him in center field for the foreseeable future in Chicago.
KID is UNREAL!!!!!
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- Walnut (@tonyisthegreat) September 13, 2023
It obviously remains to be seen how good of a hitter he will be at the MLB level. But we have seen players like Kevin Kiermier amongst other elite defenders make a career of their terrific defense. And it sure seems like Crow-Armstrong has Gold Glove potential in his future in the MLB.
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.