Pete Crow-Armstrong (PCA) signs a six-year, $115 million extension with the Cubs.

One morning recently in Arizona, Pete Crow-Armstrong was walking back from the batting facility to the locker room when six children stopped him on the patio behind the training base. The kids crowded together and lined up, some wearing his jersey. The star center fielder stopped and signed for each child.

Crow-Armstrong has rapidly emerged as the franchise's marquee player. With his energetic style of play, notable statements, and desire to help the Cubs reclaim a World Series championship, he is beloved by Chicago fans, young and old. He is the type of player the team hopes to retain long-term, and the Cubs are securing a contract extension with this rising star.

According to MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand, the Cubs today reached a six-year, $115 million extension agreement with Crow-Armstrong, making the center fielder a core member of the team through the 2032 season. The team has not officially confirmed the deal pending a physical. The extension contains no options and buys out his first two free-agent years, making it the largest contract without team options in MLB history for a player with five years of control remaining. Sources indicate that floating terms for the 2031-32 seasons could push the total value of the contract up to $133 million.

“Young, highly talented players—you certainly want them to be with your team for a long time,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said today, without specifically addressing Crow-Armstrong’s extension. “I think that’s the goal for every team.”

As the new season approaches, the team is likely to formally announce such a contract during the upcoming series in Chicago against the Nationals. Crow-Armstrong did not speak to reporters today as the Cubs wrapped up spring training and prepared to return to Chicago.

Crow-Armstrong will turn 24 tomorrow, just before the Wrigley Field opener, making the timing of finalizing the extension a logical choice. The Cubs discussed an extension with him last spring as well, but both sides decided to pause negotiations to focus on the new season.

After a season filled with historic notes, Crow-Armstrong has become a cornerstone of the Cubs' solid defense and a catalyst in the lineup. He delivered MVP-caliber performance for much of last season, helping the Cubs win 92 games and reach the playoffs, just one victory shy of the NL Division Series.

Expectations for Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs are even higher for the 2026 season.

“He’s a dynamic player,” Cubs veteran Ian Happ said today. “He plays with an energy that fans really appreciate. The league is thinking, ‘What do fans want? They want more steals, more triples, exciting plays.’ He embodies everything fans want to see and enjoy watching.”

“His energy on the field drives all that. As a top prospect, it’s easy for fans to fall in love with him. Clearly, he loves Chicago and has truly embraced it.”

Last season, Crow-Armstrong contributed 31 home runs, 37 doubles, 4 triples, 95 RBIs, 35 stolen bases, and 91 runs scored. He is the fastest Cubs player ever to achieve a 30-homer, 30-steal season, and the only player in team history to also record at least 30 doubles in the same season.

Offensively, Crow-Armstrong was markedly different between the first and second halves. He is the third player in MLB history to achieve 25 homers and 25 steals before the All-Star break, following Eric Davis in 1987 and Bobby Bonds in 1973. Among those three, Crow-Armstrong is the only one to also contribute at least 70 RBIs.

His first-half OPS of .846 earned him a starting spot in the NL All-Star team and placed him in early MVP discussions. His second-half OPS dropped to .634, but his defense remained elite. In fact, his 19 five-star catches last year set a single-season record since Statcast tracking began, surpassing the previous record of 12 by Billy Hamilton in 2016. His 24 defensive runs saved rank second historically, behind only Byron Buxton's 27 for the Twins in 2017.

Crow-Armstrong’s goal this spring training was to achieve more consistency at the plate, and he expressed excitement about the addition of star third baseman Alex Bregman, believing it will aid his development.

“I think he’s still at the beginning stages,” Bregman said today. “He can change the game in many ways. Defense can win games for you, baserunning can win games, hitting can win games. He truly alters the game.”

“So, having a player who can step up and carry the team is really special. Honestly, the passion he plays with is infectious for the whole squad.”

When the Cubs traded away core members of their 2016 championship team at the 2021 deadline, they acquired Crow-Armstrong—then a prospect—from the Mets in exchange for one of his childhood favorites, Javier Báez. Chicago fans once adored “El Mago” Báez for his defensive magic and energetic offense; now they have another dynamic player in Crow-Armstrong. At Wrigley Field and on road trips, chants of “P-C-A!” echo frequently.

Crow-Armstrong has repeatedly expressed his love for Chicago, Cubs fans, and the organization, making the extension a sensible choice for all parties. A moment that epitomized this was when he caught the final out to secure the wild-card spot and turned to celebrate with the fans in the stands.

“For 81 games each year, I can turn and see the fans’ faces, feel their emotions, hear their words,” Crow-Armstrong said that night. “I truly believe I’ve connected with every one of them. So sharing that moment with them was just right.”