Chicago Cubs Thrilling Outfielder Set to Shine in Potential Breakout Season

Which young player could have breakout season for Chicago Cubs?

Sep 27, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (52) hits a single against the Cincinnati Reds during the eighth inning at Wrigley Field. / David Banks-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have been one of the most active teams this offseason, and 2025 is looking bright for the franchise.

After two straight seasons of winning 83 games, the Cubs came into the winter looking to improve a team that had been close to making the playoffs. Even though they have missed the postseason the past two years, there is a lot to like about the direction of the team.

This offseason, Chicago decided that it was time to make a big splash and bring in a star. They did just that by trading for Kyle Tucker of the Houston Astros, who might be one of the most underrated stars in the game.

The addition of Tucker instantly makes the Cubs a much better team, but this is a franchise that also has a lot of young talent that they like.

While adding the talented outfielder was important to take the next step forward, they will need some of their young core to step up too.

Jordan Bastian of MLB.com recently spoke about which player on the Cubs could have a breakout season. He chose the talented defensive outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. He highlighted the improvement in his game as the season went on as why is primed for a breakout year.

“Crow-Armstrong finally turned a real corner in late July. Veteran Dansby Swanson described what he witnessed down the stretch as a “controlled, intentional process” by the rookie. From July 27 onward, the 22-year-old center fielder hit .289/.337/.469 (.806 OPS) and posted 2.2 FanGraphs WAR. Given Crow-Armstrong’s speed, knack for power at times and elite defense, he looks poised for a breakout in ‘25.”

By no means was it a perfect season for Crow-Armstrong in 2024. The 22-year-old certainly had his struggles early on, especially at the plate. In both June and July, the young outfielder hit below the Mendoza line, but to the credit of Chicago, they stuck with him.

Even though he was struggling at the plate to start the season, he played excellent defense for the Cubs, emerging as one of the best defensive outfielders in the National League.

Fortunately, Chicago’s patience with him at the plate paid off in the last two months of the season. In August, he was able to hit .314, and he followed that up with a .256 batting average in September. His power numbers also increased in those two months, as he totaled seven of his 10 home runs.

As Chicago heads into 2025, Crow-Armstrong will certainly be a player that they hope has a breakout season. Based on his performance at the plate in the last two months of the campaign, the 22-year-old could not only be an excellent defender, but he can be a productive player at the plate and on the base paths as well.