Dylan Crews Joins the Rookie Party on the Nationals Roster

The Washington Nationals have a lot of rookies.

James Wood was Just Baseball’s No. 1 overall prospect when he debuted in July. Jacob Young has proven himself to be one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball.

Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz have been steady contributors out of the rotation, helping the Nationals weather the losses of Josiah Gray and Trevor Williams.

Those four have been the biggest contributors, but they’re hardly the only rookies on the team. Others on the active roster include José Tena, Drew Millas, Andrés Chaparro, Nasim Nuñez, and Eduardo Salazar.

Trey Lipscomb, Jackson Rutledge, and Orlando Ribalta are currently in Triple-A, but all three have also contributed to the big league club this year.

Entering Monday, those 12 rookies had combined for 6.3 FanGraphs WAR. That total ranked third in MLB, behind only the Red Sox and Brewers.

And last night, a new rookie joined the party: top prospect Dylan Crews.

From First-Round Pick To Top Prospect

Crews was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, taken just after his LSU teammate Paul Skenes.

The young outfielder quickly rose through the Nationals’ minor league system, earning a promotion to Double-A last August and Triple-A this June.

Over 51 games at Double-A Harrisburg this season, Crews hit 11 doubles, three triples, and five home runs, good for a .789 OPS and a 123 wRC+.

After his promotion to Triple-A Rochester, he continued hitting for power. Crews knocked 10 doubles, three triples, and eight home runs over 49 games with the Red Wings. His .795 OPS was right in line with his number from Double-A.

However, in a higher offensive environment, that only translated to a 105 wRC+. That’s only slightly better than league average.

That being said, Crews struck out less and walked more in Triple-A. He also put up a similar OPS despite a much lower batting average on balls in play. On top of that, he was hitting significantly better as of late, with a .939 OPS and a 142 wRC+ in his last 15 games.

Still just 22 years old, one could make the case that Crews needed more time at Rochester; he wasn’t exactly demanding a call-up with his 105 wRC+. Yet, his speed and glove provide him with a solid floor that will help him contribute to the MLB club right away.

As for his bat, the Nationals can use the stretch run of another lost season to see how Crews adjusts against the toughest level of competition. If it turns out he isn’t ready, they can always send him back to the minors next year for a little more seasoning.

On the other hand, if Crews proves he can hold his own, the Nationals will be one step closer to emerging from their rebuild.

Top Prospect Dylan Crews Makes His MLB Debut

Crews didn’t make much of an impact in his MLB debut, going 0-for-3 with a walk. The Nationals lost to the Yankees 5-2.

However, as he stood alongside James Wood and Jacob Young in the outfield, and as he stepped to the plate between CJ Abrams and Wood in the batting order, Crews offered fans in Washington a glimpse into the future.

He will continue to start for the Nationals. Eventually, he will get a hit, score a run, and win a ball game. And hopefully, those will only be the first of many accomplishments in his big league career.

To learn more about the top prospect in the Nationals system, take a look at what Aram Leighton wrote about Dylan Crews on our latest Top 100 Prospects list:

11. Dylan Crews – OF – Washington Nationals

Height/Weight: 5’11″, 205 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 1st Round (2), 2023 (WAS) | ETA: 2024

One of the best college prospects we had seen in some time, Crews offers a rare blend of floor and ceiling.

Offense

Crews is as athletic of a hitter as they come. He really gets into his lower half, sinking deep into his back hip as he loads. Elite hip mobility and body control allow Crews to use the ground effectively to generate power, boasting plus plus bat speed. He gets to difficult pitches and has no problem turning around premium velocity.

The raw power is easily plus, running a 90th percentile exit velocity north of 106 MPH, but a slightly elevated ground ball rate and challenges pulling fastballs in the air have hampered his game power some.

Crews loves to work back through the middle, crushing laser beams out to dead center that get out in a hurry. Most notably, Crews took Braxton Ashcraft out to dead center at 114 MPH, reminding us just how much power and explosion is in a relatively standard frame.

After struggling a bit to stay on high-quality spin out of the gate, Crews has been extremely productive against spin, OPS’ing right around .850 through his first 100 games of the 2024 season between Double-A and Triple-A. Similarly, Crews has regained much of his renowned plate discipline as he has settled into pro ball more.

Crews may not fully tap into his plus raw power until he is a few years into the big leagues, but even if the game power is closer to above average, his above-average feel to hit and plate discipline along with a knack for scorching line drives to all fields should make him a top of the order threat. With more comfort and consistency pulling fastballs, Crews could hover around 25-30 homers annually.

Defense/Speed

A plus runner, Crews has a good feel for center field, getting excellent jumps off of the bat while looking comfortable with his routes. He has worked hard on his first step and reads since entering pro ball, gliding across the outfield with the closing speed to kick it into another gear when he needs to. His plus arm only solidifies his plus defensive value in centerfield.

A fringe-plus runner, Crews has made it a point to steal more bases as a pro, swiping 25 bags on 30 tries through his first 98 games of the 2024 season.

Outlook

It’s extremely difficult to poke a hole in the game of Dylan Crews. After being considered one of the best prep prospects in his class, Crews went on to somehow exceed expectations by hitting .380/.498/.689 in three seasons at LSU. While the numbers have gone from video game to above average in pro ball, Crews has climbed the Minor Leagues quickly and looks more polished every time you check in.

The tools, track record, makeup and performance on the big stage made Crews a slam dunk pick for the Nationals at No. 2 right after Paul Skenes. You’d be hard-pressed to find a higher probability everyday centerfielder in the Minor Leagues and he still has perennial All-Star upside.