Baseball’s a game of tradition, but also of evolution. MLB managers face a never-ending balancing act: maximizing talent within a limited number of slots. This inevitably leads to a few players falling down the pecking order and having to work their way back up. The Chicago Cubs top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong has found himself in a similar situation thanks to Cody Bellinger.

Ever since Bellinger’s arrival, fans have speculated his playing position. The famously versatile athlete has the tools to play in multiple positions. However, it’s starting to look like the center field will be Cody Love’s proving ground. That means that, as of now, Pete Crow-Armstrong’s rookie year has been postponed indefinitely.

As reported by The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma, the Cubs reduced their Spring Training roster by 12 players on Friday, with Crow-Armstrong being the “most prominent cut”. The 21-year-old’s chances to play with Bellinger have been negligible. The issue isn’t depth, but it’s the hitting troubles that the young gun finds himself in.

Last September, Crow-Armstrong briefly played in the major league. Despite there being some hype around him, the slugger went hitless throughout that stint. “He had a clear hole at the top of the zone and struggled with fastballs at even average velocity.” That showed the team management that Crow-Armstrong’s swinging has some unresolved issues. His tendency to swing and miss has led Cubbies to focus more on giving him experience in the minor leagues.

However, despite all of this shifting, there’s no doubt that the Cubs remain high on Crow-Armstrong. The comments of Bellinger and Craig Counsell suggest as much.

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Cody Bellinger and the Chicago Cubs support the top prospect in his training 

“Pete’s 21 years old, he just needs to play baseball and learn from his experiences playing baseball…Do that and he’s going to get better quickly. That’s how it’s going to work for him,” said the skipper Craig Counsell. Counsell was sure that with enough training, Crow-Armstrong would transform himself into an able hitter. 

However, to improve, one needs to have constant playing time, which seems far-fetched while being with the Cubs. Bellinger noted as much and echoed the words of Counsell, “For him to go out and play every single day and just play his game, he’ll get comfortable and get in his flow and routine,” Bellinger said. “He’ll be up here in no time.”

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So even if Crow-Armstrong’s MLB dreams are getting a little delayed, things are far from over for the top prospects. While the Cubs are flush with great position players, it is undeniable that a well-hitting Pete Crow-Armstrong will be highly valued by them. Clearly, the youngster has a lot of work to do this year.

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