Chicago Cubs: PCA’s overnight transformation defies explanation

The Chicago Cubs have a lot of noteworthy storylines defining this season so far.

The mass wave of pitching injuries is probably the biggest one. How could losing four starting pitchers, a closer, and a handful of top relievers not be the biggest and most impactful story of the year?

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But right below that one, however, could be the emergence of Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Sure, PCA had a monster first half last season and he made his first All-Star Game. But a tepid second half created some doubt as to whether he was entirely “for real.” The 23-year-old was a hack-at-everything hitter whose raw athleticism was letting him get away with making some poor swing decisions at the plate.

And he began 2026 just as he had ended 2025. Then, something clicked.

PCA’s overnight development

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The young star quickly morphed from indiscriminate aggression to controlled patience, turning himself from one of the most poorly-disciplined hitters in baseball, sporting a beyond-poor 4.5% walk rate in 2025, into an elite walk-rate presence. The change was practically overnight.

Since June 17, the now 24-year-old is sporting a wild 21.3% walk rate, which places him above established elite on base guys like Nick Kurtz and Juan Soto. Prior to June 17, he had posted a characteristically poor 7.1% walk rate.

On the year, he’s hitting .285 with 22 home runs and 56 RBIs out of the leadoff spot, with 25 stolen bases. He’s also the MLB leader in WAR, now .6 points ahead of Shohei Ohtani.

The transformation has amazed everyone, even seasoned baseball minds like Cubs manager Craig Counsell.

“The rate at which [his plate discipline has] improved and how fast it’s improved, I don’t have any comparisons for it,” Counsell recently told reporters. “I don’t have any explanations for it. It’s a great athlete coming into his own as a great player. This is a young, great athlete getting more experience, and it’s that take-off that you hope you see.”

Counsell, however, did have some ideas on at least one of the changes that helped his center fielder with the quick turnaround.

“One of the things he did is he moved up on the plate,” Counsell offered. “I kind of equate that to Anthony Rizzo. Anthony Rizzo, at one point in his career, moved up on the plate, and then for most of his career, he was right on top of the plate, against left-handed pitching especially.

“It helped [Crow-Armstrong] better define the strike zone.”

No discernible weaknesses

This current disciplined version of Crow-Armstrong has no real discernible weaknesses at the plate anymore. Even a previous weak spot against left-handed pitching has apparently been sorted out. This season, his batting average is actually three points higher against lefties.

Brett Taylor of Bleacher Nation echoed the astonishment over his quick development:

“It’s just a reiteration of what we’ve been saying about PCA going back to late-April: players tend not to transform themselves THIS dramatically THIS quickly. And if even Craig Counsell doesn’t have a comparison for it, then I certainly don’t either.”

If PCA can remain fully self-actualized at the plate, while maintaining his elite defense and base-running skills, the Cubs will have something legendary on their hands.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-pete-crow-armstrong-overnight-transformation-defies-explanation/