Pete Crow-Armstrong's 3 Key Adjustments
August has been a breakout month for Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has led all Cubs batters with a remarkable 150 wRC+. His sudden offensive surge has everyone asking two key questions: What exactly changed, and is this newfound success sustainable?
What did PCA change?
To understand PCA’s transformation, we need to look at the adjustments he made to his batting mechanics. A slow-motion comparison between his first home run of the season and his most recent one reveals some crucial changes. He’s introduced a new leg kick, altered his bat angle from a vertical 90 degrees to a more diagonal 45 degrees before the pitch, and brought his hands closer to his ear. These seemingly small tweaks have made a big difference.
What was the effect of PCA’s changes?
Since making these changes about a month ago, PCA has entered the best stretch of his career. His expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) has steadily risen, even surpassing .400 in the last two weeks. But it’s not just about hitting the ball harder—he’s also swinging and missing less. Remarkably, PCA is now making more contact in the majors than he did in AAA. The MLB average for swinging strikes is around 11%, but PCA has managed to reduce his rate to under 10% throughout August.
Why are PCA’s changes meaningful?
August isn’t just a blip on the radar; it offers a meaningful sample size. In baseball, 50-100 plate appearances are generally considered reliable for evaluating a hitter’s contact profile. The fact that PCA’s adjustments have led to immediate and significant improvements within this range suggests these changes are meaningful and fruitful.
What should should fans watch going forward?
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s adjustments—adding a leg kick, lowering his bat angle, and bringing his hands closer to his ear—have clearly paid off in the short term. As we watch him continue to develop, the key question is whether these new adjustments will allow him to keep making contact more than the average hitter.