Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong looks like the real deal early on

Losing a guy with as much swagger, energy and skill as Javier Baez was a tough, bitter pill for Cubs fans to swallow last July. But the man who came back in that trade, outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, is doing everything he can to endear himself to those folks – and the organization itself – early this year.

Last year, Crow-Armstrong’s season was derailed by injury. Seeing the Cubs trade Baez for a guy with all of six professional games under his belt was somewhat jarring at the time, but it certainly looks like Jed Hoyer was onto something based on the initial returns.

Entering action Friday, through 14 games, Crow-Armstrong was hitting .370/.485/.574 with more walks than strikeouts, seven steals, three doubles and a pair of home runs. The Athletic (subscription required) delved into all things Cubs prospects – and you definitely need to go check that out because there’s a good bit on the former first-rounder.

But hearing that people within the organization itself have been ‘taken aback’ at how well he’s played this year is certainly something that makes one’s ears perk up. The ball is jumping off his bat with triple-digit exit velocities and, at just 20 years old, he’s just getting started in his professional career.

Sure, it’s only Low-A Myrtle Beach, but you love to see a guy A) come back from an injury-shortened initial season in pro ball and B) his first year on the field with a new organization by putting up numbers like these. At this pace, South Bend seems likely before the season is up.

Cubs are quickly assembling an impressive group of outfield prospects

Now, Crow-Armstrong is still years away from making his presence known in the outfield at Wrigley Field, but it speaks to the level of depth Hoyer has amassed in recent years. Top prospect Brennen Davis headlines the outfielders among the club’s 10 top prospects and he’s joined by Crow-Armstrong, Kevin Alcantara and Owen Caissie, per MLB.com.

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After watching the Cubs ride a loaded group of position player prospects to the most successful run in team history in recent years, one can’t help but be excited when you see a similar talent pool start to take shape. Throw in some homegrown impact arms and there’s not much to be upset about when looking at Chicago’s long-term outlook – that’s for sure.