Cubs Open to Pete Crow-Armstrong Contract Extension Talks During Season, Hoyer Says

The Chicago Cubs and center-fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong tabled extension talks in early April, but president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer isn't against negotiating during the season.

"Not talking during the season, to me, that's a player-focused thing," he told reporters on Tuesday. "I'm not playing. I've got time to negotiate if they want."

Neither side necessarily needs to rush into those talks. From an organizational perspective, Crow-Armstrong is under club control through the 2030 season and there aren't any guarantees he'll remain healthy or stay on his current trajectory.

And from the player's side, any extension signed now could end up looking like a massive bargain for the organization if he turns into a superstar and massively outplays his deal.

Jackson Merrill, for instance, likely won't be a free agent until 2036 after signing a nine-year, $135 million extension with the San Diego Padres in April. Had he waited until he was free from club control in 2030 and continued to play at a top level, he likely could have signed a far more lucrative deal and guaranteed himself a significant salary through his late 30s.

Crow-Armstrong, 23, certainly looks like the next big thing. Alongside his elite defense, he's hitting .290 this season with 14 homers, 48 RBI, 41 runs, 14 stolen bases, a .875 OPS and 2.9 WAR. He's easily having his best season at the dish and is showing off his five-tool potential.

So you couldn't blame the Cubs for trying to lock him into a long-term, team-friendly deal, though reports in early April that the team offered him a deal worth around $75 million were denied by Hoyer.

"We hadn't talked in a couple weeks when it leaked out," he said of those reports. "In general, it's just easier to negotiate if it's not out in the media. People aren't speculating on numbers and things like that. Even the number that came out about that wasn't right. The more we can keep things under wraps, the better."

"For a player, if it's going to mess with their head, if it's going to distract them or make them feel different, then you shouldn't do it," he added. "To me, not negotiating in-season, that's a player thing. Not specifically a team thing. But I totally respect guys who feel like they don't want to deal with it in-season, because they feel like it messes with their performance. I get that."

And Crow-Armstrong has maintained that he's happy to focus on the season.

"I'm here to play baseball," he told reporters in April. "There's been a general understanding and a general consensus that we're not going to let it be a distraction throughout this year."

It certainly hasn't seemed like one, given his elite play.