"Crow-Armstrong's 4.5% walk rate, the fifth-worst mark among 145 qualifiers for the batting title, surely played some role as pitchers adjusted and began to retire him with more regularity. Crow-Armstrong hit .265/.302/.544 during the season's first half, providing an outstanding 25 home runs and 27 stolen bases (in 31 attempts)."
"He easily made the All-Star Game roster and was even considered to be an MVP candidate. But he hit just .216/.262/.372 after the break with only six home runs and eight steals (in 12 attempts). Only 12 players posted a lower OPS in that span. None were MVP contenders."
"There is clear risk in investing any early draft pick or high amount of auction funds in his direction in either format, thus he is an obvious candidate to lead ESPN's latest "Do not draft" list. Committing a top-50 draft pick to him and assuming that he is a building-block mainstay is aggressive."
Pete Crow-Armstrong achieved 30/30 excellence with 31 home runs and 35 stolen bases in 2025, but his 4.5% walk rate ranked fifth-worst among qualifying batters. Unlike other 30/30 players who drew at least 30 walks, Crow-Armstrong's aggressive nature and lack of plate discipline became problematic as pitchers adjusted. His first-half performance was outstanding (.265/.302/.544 with 25 home runs and 27 steals), earning All-Star selection and MVP consideration. However, his second-half collapse (.216/.262/.372 with only six home runs and eight steals) demonstrated the vulnerability of his approach. While remaining a top-100 fantasy asset, Crow-Armstrong carries significant risk and should not be targeted with early draft picks or substantial auction investment.
Read at ESPN.com
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