Former All-Star outfielder Curtis Granderson said Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is a rare talent after watching the 24-year-old’s record-setting 2026 season.
“It’s one thing when you have a centerfielder that can hit. It’s very rare when you have a centerfielder that can hit, throw, run, steal bases, and play defense. He’s the complete package,” Granderson said on Yahoo Sports Daily.
The praise came as Crow-Armstrong continued one of the most complete seasons by a Cubs position player in decades. Through 153 games, the left-handed hitter is batting .282 with 44 home runs, 105 RBIs, 37 stolen bases, 115 runs, 29 doubles and eight triples.
Crow-Armstrong slugged .581 and posted a .956 OPS. He has also drawn 78 walks while playing everyday center field.
On Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, Crow-Armstrong went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a triple, three RBIs and three runs in an 8-4 win over the Atlanta Braves. The first homer was his 43rd of the season, passing Hall of Famer Billy Williams for the most home runs by a left-handed hitter in a single season in Cubs history.
Williams hit 42 in 1970.
Crow-Armstrong added his 44th homer later in the game. He also passed Williams for the most extra-base hits by a Cubs left-handed hitter in a season.
The performance drew MVP chants from the Wrigley Field crowd. Crow-Armstrong is widely viewed as the National League MVP favorite with Shohei Ohtani on the injured list.
Granderson, a three-time All-Star who hit 344 career home runs and stole 153 bases over 16 seasons, knows the value of a center fielder who can do more than one thing well. He spent prime years with the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and New York Mets and once combined power, speed and outfield range in the same season.
Crow-Armstrong’s defense has matched the offense. He won a Gold Glove in 2025 and has remained among the game’s best center fielders this year, tracking down balls in the gaps and throwing runners out with a strong arm.
The Cubs acquired Crow-Armstrong from the Mets as a prospect in 2021. After a 30-homer, 35-steal season in 2025, he signed a six-year, $115 million extension in March and then took another leap.
Chicago sits at 85-68, 10 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central and holding a share of the top National League wild-card spot with nine games remaining. The Cubs’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth is four.
A postseason run would give Crow-Armstrong a national stage after two straight All-Star selections. Granderson’s assessment captured why so many around the game have taken notice.
A center fielder who hits 44 home runs and steals 37 bases while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense is uncommon. Crow-Armstrong has done it at age 24, and the former All-Star watching from the studio said the package is complete.
