From A Distance: 21-year-old Pete Crow-Armstrong Looked Good

New 21-year-old centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong breath of fresh air to Cubs

“I expect to make those plays.”

World, meet Pete Crow-Armstrong, the young, confident-sounding whipper-snapper playing center field for your Chicago Cubs!

No, the Cubs did not win  the series in Denver against the Colorado Rockies, but the team may have found an impactful center fielder nonetheless. Not once, but twice, did the 21-year-old Crow-Armstrong make stellar catches against the same poor guy, Nolan Jones. The first one — in the first inning — was a flyball to left field that Crow-Armstrong raced back toward the left-center field gap and nab the catch just a couple of feet before he could face-plant against the fence.

Then in the sixth inning, Jones ripped another shot to the right-center field gap. If the left-field side didn’t work, hey, maybe the right-field side would. But it didn’t: Crow-Armstrong raced over in a mind-blowing 30.7 feet per second, dove to backhand the shot and caught it.

No, Crow-Armstrong not going to make the greatest centerfielders list in Cubs history. Hack Wilson and Jimmy Ryan are secure in their places in that position in Cubs’ history. Even Bob Dernier is safe.

Pete Crow-Armstrong was 0 for 4, though he did drive in a run in the 7-5 setback. But that’s OK. He gave Cubs fans (and those on hand at Coors Field) a taste of what the future in Wrigleyville looks like come 2024.

And, hopefully, beyond.