Stats don't lie: Cubs prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong is in some serious trouble

Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Chicago Cubs No. 1-ranked prospect, is already an above-average defensive centerfielder. However, there are serious questions about his progression with the bat in his hands, and if he can ever truly be the five-tool player the Cubs front office values him as.

Rival scouts told USA Today's Bob Nightengale that Crow-Armstrong's power and hitting prowess may never develop in a scathing review Sunday.

"MLB scouts have insisted all season that Chicago Cubs prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong may not be the impact bat that’s been hyped, and so far they’ve been proved correct. He’s hitting .200 with a .570 OPS."

Why the stats prove a point about Cubs prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong

While that sounds a bit harsh for a player just over 22 years old in the majors, PCA was already sent down once for his failure to adjust to the big-league game. His speed on the basepaths is hardly a tool if he can never use it. His defense may one day earn him a gold glove, but not if his bat fails to keep him in the lineup.

PCA routinely has trouble with fastballs up and above the strike zone. Such is the case for many top prospects who come to the bigs, though they eventually correct that hole in their swing. Crow-Armstrong has yet to make any adjustment, as he has a 38.7 percent chase rate, and a 51.2 percent chase rate on breaking balls. Per Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, the only player with a higher chase rate on breaking balls is former Cub Javier Baez, which is not territory PCA wants to be in, even at this young of an age.

Crow-Armstrong is worth above .5 WAR, primarily because of his strong defensive play. He has just a 54 wRC+, slashing .206/.252/.290.

It's far too early to declare Crow-Armstrong a bust at the big-league level, but he may need more stints in the minors to fix his swing, or at least make him a league-average hitter in MLB. Right now, he is nowhere close, and wastes at-bats swinging at pitches out of the zone.