After the Chicago Cubs won a series against the Brewers, Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy told reporters, “The blue-haired kid is kind of a freak right now with the way that he’s playing.”
That blue-haired kid is Pete Crow-Armstrong, the free spirited young outfielder who is one big reason why the Cubs are back in contention. His rookie and prospect cards have ignited as he shows off some of the promise he’s flashed during a five-year climb to becoming an everyday player.
PCA Dossier
Pete Henry Crow-Armstrong has entertainment in his blood. His parents, Ashley Crow and Matthew John Armstrong are both actors.
A first round pick of the New York Mets in 2020 after earning Southern California high school player of the year honors, “PCA” found his way to the Windy City near the trade deadline in 2021. He continued to climb the prospect charts until making his debut last season, then made the team out of spring training and never looked back.
Crow-Armstrong has shown flashes of being a true five-tool player in the big leagues, with power and speed on display. A center fielder, he’s also handling the sometimes challenging conditions of Wrigley Field.
Crow-Armstrong been a revelation for the Cubs, and collectors are now buying the hype. Prospect status garnered climbing sales numbers for Crow-Armstrong in the minor leagues, but collectors and baseball pundits alike were not convinced that the bat was going to be good enough. It appears that it just might be.
A recent sale of one of his best prospect cards opened eyes. A 2020 Bowman Chrome Red Refractor Autograph numbered to 5 and carrying BGS 9.5/10 grades sold for $35,400, easily eclipsing his previous record card sale.
Other Crow-Armstrong cards have also made their way to the Fanatics Collect platform in recent days.
Across the board, PCA cards are way up. According to Market Movers, most PCA 1st Bowman and/or rookie cards are up at least 15 percent with cards like his 2020 1st Bowman Sapphire showing 121 percent growth just in the last 30 days.
Now may be the time to hop on the PCA train before his card prices get out of hand. Here are five cards that you might want to think about adding to your collection: one from his first taste of pro ball and four from his rookie campaign.
2020 Bowman Draft Sapphire
The only card on this list with PCA dawning his Mets uniform, 2020 Bowman Draft is where you can find his 1st Bowman in all its variations. The aforementioned base 1st Bowman Sapphire card is way up, but it’s still very affordable, with all but the highest graded versions still selling for fairly modest prices.
2024 Bowman – Bowman Spotlights
2023 was the first year that the Bowman Spotlights insert saw the light of day. It was not, however, short printed. You can find Adley Rutschman rookie Bowman Spotlights for around $2 on eBay, for example. In 2024, Topps decided to make the set a short print, with odds at 1 in 1,441 packs. It’s a simplistic design that collectors fell in love with, and makes a great addition to a collection. A base version recently sold for $30, but the parallels are what makes this card really shine. The pictured Orange Refractor /25 in a PSA 9 sold for $179.99 on May 1.
2024 Topps Chrome Rookie Auto
I personally love the 2024 Topps Chrome design. The neon-esque team color script along with the black background makes the shiny stock stand out. PCA’s rookie auto also features him running the bases, not something you see very much in rookie cards, but is very apropos based on the type of player he is.
Raw base autographed versions have now crept over $200 with numbered parallels running higher. Two different PSA 10 Orange Wave Refractor autos /25 sold recently for $3,000.
2024 Topps Series 2 Golden Mirror SSP
Image variations have come to be expected in flagship Topps products. When Topps announced the Golden Mirror short prints in flagship sets a few years ago, it caused a buzz. At 1 in 217 hobby packs, these don’t feel impossible to pull, which makes them relatively attainable on the secondary market.
Only a few of these have sold on eBay since PCA really took off. A raw version sold on May 1 for $299.99 while a PSA 9 graded version sold for $160 on April 23. I bet that seller is wishing they waited another week or two.
2024 Topps Triple Threads Rookie Autograph Relics
I wanted to include a higher end set on this list, and the classic yearly release Triple Threads is a set that will stand the test of time. It’s one that collectors look forward to every year and features big hits of both rookies and veterans alike. This particular subset, featuring an on-card auto and three relic pieces, is a beautifully designed card. The pictured card /25 sold for $240. The Red 1/1 featuring three patches sold for $1,899 on eBay on May 6, but Armstrong has several different types of autographed cards in Triple Threads.
Below is a live list of the current most watched Crow-Armstrong cards on eBay. To see all of his cards being offered, click here.
