Chicago Cubs: PCA named “biggest disappointment” by ESPN, Hoerner and Ballesteros get props

The Chicago Cubs expect big things from their 24-year-old center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and from their 28-year-old second baseman. That’s why they were confident in signing them to big 6-year extensions ($115 million and $141 million, respectively).

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In “PCA,” they see a multi-tool talent who is also mega-marketable and already firmly loved within the rabid Chicago sports community. And if he can produce anywhere near the numbers he produced in the first half of last season, the team will be absolutely giddy with their investment.

The problem is that Crow-Armstrong HASN’T produced numbers anywhere near that magical first half of 2025.

PCA: Biggest CF disappointment

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Since hitting 25 home runs with 71 RBIs and posting a .265 average at the All-Star break, the young talent has flatlined. In the second half of 2025, he hit a weak .216 with 6 homers and 24 RBIs. And so far this season, he’s leaning closer to second-half 2025 stats with a .241 average and only 1 home run and 7 RBIs.

The good thing is that his defense is always there and so is his running speed. So, at least things won’t ever quite be a bust. But not sporting a big, productive bat is problematic for a Cubs team counting on him being a linchpin in the lineup.

David Schoenfield of ESPN recently put PCA on blast by naming him the biggest center field disappointment in a recent piece.

Per Schoenfield:

“If you noticed PCA’s struggles in the second half last season, his low output so far—.241 average, one home run—isn’t a big surprise. Only Ezequiel Tovar has chased more often outside the strike zone, and pitchers have exploited that aggressiveness. PCA had 59 barrels last season, which helped him produce 31 home runs despite not possessing huge raw power, but he has barreled up just four balls in 2026. His defense still gives him a high floor of value, but let’s hope he rediscovers that first-half magic of last season.”

Hoerner, Ballesteros are stars

As disappointing as Crow-Armstrong has been, however, that’s how pleasing Hoerner has been.

In the same ESPN piece, Schoenfield assesses the Cubs second baseman as an All-Star:

“There’s a reason the Cubs gave him a six-year, $141 million extension. Hoerner is about as valuable a player as you can be while topping out at 10 home runs in a season. He was worth 6.2 WAR last season and his offense has ticked upward so far in 2026. He’s tied for the MLB lead in Baseball-Reference WAR among position players.”

Also mentioned in that article, by the way, is Moises Ballesteros, who Schoenfield names as a “Player to watch” among designated hitters.

Of course, it needs to be noted that we’re still very early into this 2026 campaign—just barely over a month right now. But things do seem to be playing out true to form when it comes to the three Cubs written about in the ESPN piece. That’s great news for Hoerner and even Ballesteros. It’s not so great for Crow-Armstrong.

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