Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs Reportedly Finalizing Long-Term Contract Extension After Breakout Season

Pete Crow-Armstrong is reportedly going to be a franchise cornerstone for the Chicago Cubs for the foreseeable future.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Monday that Chicago and its star center fielder "are finalizing a long-term contract extension" that will result in "a big payday as the Cubs lock up a franchise-caliber talent."

Bob Nightengale of USA Today provided more details:

Crow-Armstrong was arbitration eligible through the 2030 season on his previous contract, so the National League Central club is getting out ahead of things here even though there wasn't a significant amount of urgency to get such a deal done.

Still, it comes as no surprise the Cubs would want to further solidify his future with the team.

After all, Crow-Armstrong will be just 24 years old heading into the 2026 season and is already a fan favorite at Wrigley Field after his breakout effort in 2025. He was a first-time All-Star, won his first Gold Glove and finished ninth in National League MVP voting for a team that reached the playoffs.

While he stole 35 bases to go with 31 home runs and 95 RBI, it was his defense that stood out the most. According to FanGraphs, he was responsible for 15 defensive runs saved above average in the outfield just last season alone.

Crow-Armstrong can cover a significant amount of ground with his speed, and his overall athleticism allows him to make highlight-reel diving catches many others couldn't.

That ability surely helped him land a spot on Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and he showed off his overall potential among the game's best with a three-run homer in the seventh inning and a solo homer in the ninth inning of a pool play contest against Italy before helping lead the Americans to the championship game.

If it was a sign of things to come for Crow-Armstrong, it should be an excellent year for a Cubs team that also added Alex Bregman this offseason to a lineup that is bringing back Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch, among others.

Ideally for Chicago, it will kick off a long stretch of excellent years for the young center fielder who will be one of the faces of the franchise for an extended period of time following this development.