Chicago Cubs

Pete Crow-Armstrong

The breakout that became the face of the franchise

Pete Crow-Armstrong arrived as a speed-and-defense prospect. In 2026, at 24, he became something bigger: the best player on the Cubs and one of the most complete talents in the National League, the face of the franchise at Wrigley Field.

He led Chicago in nearly every offensive category — a .291 average, a .386 on-base percentage, a .531 slugging — while unlocking real power with a team-high 21 home runs. Pairing those with more than 20 stolen bases, he became the first player in the majors this season to reach 20/20, wreaking havoc on the bases as much as at the plate. In center field, his defense has been the kind that shows up on highlight reels nightly.

It all earned him the first All-Star selection of his career, the lone Cub in Philadelphia. Fan voting narrowly kept him from starting, but the first half — an elite bat, elite speed, elite glove — established him as one of the marquee young players in the game. And the bigger Cubs All-Star moment is still ahead: Wrigley Field hosts the 2027 game next July.