Rising Star Will Be Massive X-Factor for Chicago Cubs Next Season

The Chicago Cubs have one massive X-Factor for the upcoming 2025 MLB season.

Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (52) celebrates as he rounds the bases on a two run home run in the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have been busy this offseason, although it is not known yet whether or not their moves will be enough to power them back into playoff contention.

Acquiring Kyle Tucker in a blockbuster trade was a win-now addition that cost them third baseman Isaac Paredes as part of the departing package. The Cubs then followed that up by trading Cody Bellinger.

Tucker might be enough to offset both of those losses in the lineup, but that is far from a guarantee.

Looking ahead to the 2025 MLB season, Chicago has a massive X-Factor that will be a huge part in deciding how good the team ends up being.

Pete Crow-Armstrong appears to be a huge fixture of the Cubs' long-term plans and Chicago needs him to take a step forward in his development.

During this past campaign, the former top prospect showed improvement at the plate, while also being elite defensively.

However, his bat has a lot of work that needs to be done.

He ended up playing in 123 games last season, hitting 10 home runs to go along with 47 RBI and slashing .237/.286/.384. Those numbers aren't bad for a young player in his first full MLB campaign, but Chicago needs more from him.

Looking at the rest of the lineup, not much has changed.

The Cubs will still feature Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, and Michael Busch. They have a lot of talent on offense, but losing both Bellinger and Paredes will leave the need for Crow-Armstrong, and potentially Matt Shaw, to step in and produce.

There are very few players around the league who are more dangerous on the bases than Crow-Armstrong.

He has elite speed and has to figure out how to become more of a factor in that area, since he stole 27 bases and was only caught stealing on three occasions.

At just 22 years old, Crow-Armstrong hasn't even begun to scratch the surface of his full potential. He has already showcased flashes of being a superstar if he reaches his ceiling.

After another full offseason of work, it will be very interesting to see how he looks.

If he can come out and bat .250/.310/.400, the Chicago offense would improve dramatically.

That's a lot of improvement to do in just one year, but he's capable of that kind of jump.

Hopefully, the Cubs will see the next step in his process and watch him become a much more dangerous player offensively.

He already has the defensive part of the game down, now he needs to show a leap forward with his bat.