2020 MLB Draft Preview: Q&A with Pete Crow-Armstrong

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Heading into the Summer Showcase circuit in 2019 the top high school player in the country at the time was Pete Crow-Armstrong, a left-handed hitting outfielder from Harvard-Westlake HS. For those that are unfamiliar with Harvard-Westlake HS, it has produced a few current major league All-Stars like Jack Flaherty, Lucas Giolito and Max Fried. After the Summer Showcase circuit his draft stock took a bit of a dip but he started seeing his draft stock go up again this spring and he is again considered one of the best high school hitters in the country. His draft stock improved enough to be considered along with Tyler Soderstrom (Turlock HS) as one of the 2 best high school hitters in California by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline and both players seem like locks to be first round picks. He first started garnering attention as a 16-year-old on the 18U Team USA Gold Medal winning team in 2018 and was an Under Armour All-American in 2019. His mom, Ashley Crow, played the mom of the lead character in the 1994 baseball movie, “Little Big League,” and his father Matthew John Armstrong is also a Hollywood actor.

As a player Crow-Armstrong shows a strong arm, plus speed, and solid defensive skills in the outfield that should allow him to become a plus defensive outfielder at any outfield position and might be the best defensive outfielder in this class. He does have some swing and miss at times, but is considered a hit over power type of hitter. At times he’s shown the ability to make loud contact when he hits allowing some scouts and evaluators to believe he has the ability to develop plus power as he continues to add strength.

I was able to catch up with Pete Crow-Armstrong at last year’s Under Armour All-American Game and do a little Q&A.

James Weisser: Who was your favorite player to watch growing up?

Pete Crow-Armstong: Javier Baez because I’m a Cubs fan.

JW: Is there any player that you try to model your game after?

PCA: I like to watch the way Javier Baez, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Fernando Tatis Jr. play. They’re all fun, high energy exciting guys to watch, as far as swing goes I like to watch Christian Yelich and Robinson Cano.

JW: What’s your favorite thing about the game of baseball?

PCA: The freedom, I like how big moments can come out of nowhere, where anything can happen just like that. I also love the strategic side of the game.

JW: What first got you interested in playing baseball?

PCA: I don’t really remember when I first started but my dad has always been a Cubs fan. I remember him showing me Kerry Wood‘s 20 strikeout game when I was like 3. I loved playing wiffleball in the backyard when I was little we had a backdrop with ivy that resembled Wrigley Field.

JW: What inspires you to do your best?

PCA: The desire to get to the next level as well as to help provide for my family. I want to keep succeeding because I love the game of baseball, it’s my passion.

JW: What’s something you take pride in about your game and what’s something you’re trying to improve on?

PCA: I love being aggressive on the basepaths, trying to take the extra 90 feet. I also like being able to go the other way. I’m working on the mental side of the game like finding the right approach and sticking with that approach.

JW: What’s your favorite movie?

PCA: Shawshank Redemption.

JW: What’s your favorite food?

PCA: I really like Mexican food like tacos and burritos.

JW: What’s your favorite kind of music?

PCA: I listen to everything, but Rap and House music are my two favorites.

JW: What are some of interests outside of baseball?

PCA: I like to go hiking and hanging out with friends.

JW: If you could be any superhero or have any superpower what would it be?

PCA: Superhero would be Aquaman, and superpower would be to teleport or fly.

Thanks again to Pete Crow-Armstrong for taking a few minutes to chat with me for my MLB Draft preview series here on Prospects1500. It will certainly be interesting and exciting to see which MLB team selects the talented outfielder.

James Weisser

James Weisser has been following prospects since 2003, when the Florida Marlins won the world series with players like Josh Beckett, Miguel Cabrera, and Dontrelle Willis. He has seen MVP's, Cy Young Winners, and All-Stars before they ever played in the majors, and is an avid college baseball fan who enjoys watching the SEC and ACC in the spring when often times the cold, wet weather of the Midwest allows him to follow some of the top players in both conferences. He also enjoys following/covering the Midwest League which is often players first full-season level. He also watches some of the top amateur talent that comes through Chicago and the Midwest like the Under Armour All-America game at Wrigley Field which features some of the top incoming seniors for the following year as well as the 17U Team USA which features some of the top juniors in the country. He currently resides in McHenry, Illinois which is located within an hour from the Beloit Snappers and Kane County Cougars which allows him to see 4 or more organizations Low A teams in a week at times. A White Sox fan growing up one of his favorite moments was watching them win the World Series in 2005. A few of his all-time favorite players to watch are Frank Thomas, Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, Ryan Howard, Clayton Kershaw, Barry Bonds, Mike Trout, and Ken Griffey Jr.