Follow the Prospects: Dylan Crews, OF

[NatsLSU]

Full Name: Dylan G. Crews
Age: 21 (February 26, 2002)
Birthplace:  Altamonte Springs, FL
Bats/Throws: R/R Ht: 6' 0" Wt: 205
Draft: Round 1, 2nd overall (2023, WSH)
School: LSU

The class might as well be topped by a 1a and 1b. But someone has to be at the top of the list, and we've got Crews just ahead of his teammate. Back in 2020, Crews was already viewed as a possible first-round pick. All he did with the Tigers was refine every aspect of his game. He has the best hit tool in the draft with an impeccable eye at the plate and the ability to make consistent, hard contact. Crews might not be a 40-home run hitter, but he should top 20 every year and could reach the 30s. He's also added speed, which makes him a factor on the basepaths and a plus defender in center with a strong enough arm to play any of the three spots.

Why does he get the edge over Skenes? Crews is the most polished college bat seen in years and will be able to impact all aspects of the game at the big-league level as early as midseason 2024, if not earlier. A top- or middle-of-the-order hitter who can reach the majors early is incredibly rare, and both impacts the game every day and doesn't come with the same injury risk that accompanies even the best pitchers.

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/mlb-draft-prospects-2023-big-board-top-100-ranked/hiukh1ffmw6px9iflfciuqot

The 2023 Golden Spikes Award winner and the SEC Male Athlete of the Year, Crews finished No. 1 in the nation in runs scored (100), No. 1 in walks (71), No. 2 in on-base percentage (.567), No. 2 in base hits (110) and No. 3 in batting average (.426). He completed the year with a reached base streak of 75 games, which included all 71 games of this season and the last four games of the 2022 season.

https://www.si.com/college/lsu/baseball/mlb-draft-lsu-star-dylan-crews-selected-no-2-overall-by-the-washington-nationals




2023 CWS Champion
2023 CWS All-Tournament Team
2023 Golden Spikes Award Winner
2023 Consensus First-Team All-American
2023 College World Series All-Tournament Team
2023 NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team
2023 SEC Male Athlete of the Year
2023 SEC Player of the Year
2023 First-Team All-SEC
2023 SEC All-Defensive Team
2023 ABCA Gold Glove Team
2023 SEC Academic Honor Roll
2023 SEC Community Service Team
2023 LSWA Louisiana Hitter of the Year
SEC Player of the Week (May 1, March 27, Feb. 27, 2023)
Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week (March 27, 2023)

2022 Consensus First-Team All-American
2022 SEC Co-Player of the Year
2022 Golden Spikes Award Semifinalist
2022 First-Team All-SEC
2022 SEC All-Defensive Team
2022 SEC Community Service Team
SEC Co-Player of the Week (May 9, 2022)
2022 First-Team ABCA All-South Region
2022 NCAA Hattiesburg Regional All-Tournament Team
2022 LSWA Hitter of the Year
2022 U.S. Collegiate National Team Member

2021 Perfect Game National Freshman of the Year
2021 Second-Team All-American (Perfect Game, D1 Baseball)
2021 Third-Team All-American (NCBWA, ABCA)
2021 First-Team Freshman All-American (Collegiate Baseball, D1 Baseball, NCBWA)
2021 U.S. Collegiate National Team Member
2021 NCAA Eugene Regional All-Tournament Team
2021 Second-Team All-SEC
2021 Freshman All-SEC
2021 ABCA All-South Region First Team
2021 LSWA Louisiana Freshman of the Year
SEC Freshman of the Week (Feb. 23, 2021)

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Thanks for doing this!

[DCsOwn]

The Face! Couldn’t be more excited about this selection!

[imref]

Thanks NatsLSU!  I heard him interviewed on the mlb radio network on XM after his selection. Said getting drafted is his baseball highlight so far and can’t wait to get to work. Said he’s going to be a leader. And to make all of us feel old, said Harper and Trout were his favorite players when he was growing up.

[Slateman]

Sign him to whatever he wants and get him to Fredericksburg this year. Then probably to High A

[Slateman]

https://twitter.com/granthpaulsen/status/1678202035664039937?s=46&t=poWuJU73Q_dXAhfSF9HFlg

Joined now by new #Nats OF Dylan Crews on
@MLBNetworkRadio
 right now.

"I know a bunch of the guys on the team. I played with CJ Abrams, Brady House, a bunch of those guys. I'm ready to go in there and be the leader that I am."

[nobleisthyname]

I know he's a Boras guy but can we give him 10 years with two club options at the end now?

[Senatorswin]

I was hoping for Skenes but I can't complain about Crews other than the Boras factor.

[imref]

any projections on where Crews will start? I'd guess Wilmington?

One of the WJFK guys mentioned earlier that Rizzo said Crews will be on a fast track to the majors.

[rileyn]

Will debut June 1, 2024.  Book it.

[imref]

Rizzo:

There is never a blueprint for when a player gets to the big leagues. [The players] make sure that we know when they’re big league ready, so you know, he’s an accomplished college player that played at the highest level that you could play at the collegiate ranks, and I think he’s a guy that we’ll assess when he gets to camp.”

“He’s played a long, strenuous, stressful season already [at LSU], and we’re not going to force feed him very hard this year, but he’s a player that we think again is going to be a big part of this group in the near future.”

[RD]

Will debut June 1, 2024.  Book it.

Hes had 2 weeks off. Give him 2 more. Get him signed and in Florida, then let him give it a rip in Harrisburg.

If Zack Neto can make it to the bigs after 44 minor league games, so can Crews.

Give him every shot at the opening day roster. If he's going ti be up as early as June, might as well push him early. See if you can get the extra draft pick. Otherwise, if he lives up to the hype, a June call up is still going to get him a full year of service time most likely with an ROY finish.

If he struggles in AA, no big deal, it's been a long season. But he's the type of polished hitter you can challenge.

[imref]

https://www.talknats.com/2023/07/10/where-could-dylan-crews-play-in-2023-and-2024/

Rendon comparison:

So what did the Nats do with Rendon in his first season in pro ball in 2012? First off, there were six levels of the minor leagues back then compared to five now. Rendon started at the lowest level which back then was called the Gulf Coast League and now called the Florida Complex League. He played five games there, and then went to the NY-Penn League which does not exist any more. Rendon played eight games there. He bypassed Low-A Hagerstown due to field conditions and went straight to High-A Potomac for nine games and was promoted to Harrisburg Double-A to finish the season for 21 games, but Rendon struggled and only hit .162 with a .673 OPS. That had some concerned.

After the season Rendon crushed it in the Arizona Fall League. In 2013, he returned to Double-A Harrisburg and exceled there in a repeat of Double-A. Rendon made his MLB debut on April 21, 2013 but struggled and was sent back to Double-A after eight games. When he was called up again a month later, he hit at a .731 OPS for the remainder of the 2013 season, and the rest is history.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Hes had 2 weeks off. Give him 2 more. Get him signed and in Florida, then let him give it a rip in Harrisburg.

If Zack Neto can make it to the bigs after 44 minor league games, so can Crews.

Give him every shot at the opening day roster. If he's going ti be up as early as June, might as well push him early. See if you can get the extra draft pick. Otherwise, if he lives up to the hype, a June call up is still going to get him a full year of service time most likely with an ROY finish.

If he struggles in AA, no big deal, it's been a long season. But he's the type of polished hitter you can challenge.

well, if we are going for RoTY and the bonus pick, may want to do the same with Wood at the start of the year, or at most 3 weeks into the season as insurance in case one is not RoTY.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.talknats.com/2023/07/10/where-could-dylan-crews-play-in-2023-and-2024/

Rendon comparison:

I was thinking that Rendon is the developmental precedent.  As RD says, there's a bit of an advantage to pushing Crews along quickly if he's a RoTY candidate.  I would think season opener is a gamble b/c  there's only one RoTY, but I think there's international bonus pool money as a consolation prize.  I/M/O, 3 weeks in is not that much of a drawback to a RoTY candidacy and can get you an extra year of service time if he's not a prize winner, so that may make more sense.

[RD]

well, if we are going for RoTY and the bonus pick, may want to do the same with Wood at the start of the year, or at most 3 weeks into the season as insurance in case one is not RoTY.

In my own head, at this point, I do have the expectation of Wood breaking camp with the team. That may be aggressive but well.see how the season plays out. With his pretty early rise to AA, he's racking up valuable experience. He's flashing, just needs consistency. But he does have 2 more months.

On the incentives though, maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought they had to be up on Opening Day to be eligible for the incentives? If you wait, you lose. Only the player benefits if he does well enough, and can still earn a full year of service if he finishes top two in ROY. That was my interpretation anyway.

But we'll see how the season goes for both. They simply may not be ready for such an aggressive push. Rushing them certainly won't help them individually, and that performance won't net the pick anyway.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

In my own head, at this point, I do have the expectation of Wood breaking camp with the team. That may be aggressive but well.see how the season plays out. With his pretty early rise to AA, he's racking up valuable experience. He's flashing, just needs consistency. But he does have 2 more months.

On the incentives though, maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought they had to be up on Opening Day to be eligible for the incentives? If you wait, you lose. Only the player benefits if he does well enough, and can still earn a full year of service if he finishes top two in ROY. That was my interpretation anyway.

But we'll see how the season goes for both. They simply may not be ready for such an aggressive push. Rushing them certainly won't help them individually, and that performance won't net the pick anyway.

I'm probably the wrong one.  My guess is Blue911 knows.

[blue911]

I'm probably the wrong one.  My guess is Blue911 knows.

Not me. They just remind of a card game invented by a four year old.

[imref]

LSU created a hype video for Nats fans:
https://twitter.com/talknats/status/1678942864007413762?s=46&t=VxK4vP11aMUU5dFhz5Ltrg

[DCsOwn]

“Crews is clearly the best player in the Draft and is approaching some of the best college position players in the last few years,” one National League scouting director said. “Skenes would be a worthy 1-1 if Crews wasn't around and taking a pitcher 1-1 wasn't so scary.”

“Crews is the best overall prospect since Adley Rutschman,” one American League scouting executive said. “Skenes is in a similar tier of college starters and close with Langford, who may be 1-1 if not for the other two.”

“Crews is the best bat in the Draft with a chance to stay in center field,” another NL scouting director said. “Skenes is easily the best arm in the Draft. I’m taking the premium position player over the arm.”

“Elite college performance followed by high school upside,” said a third NL scouting director, explaining why he went in the order listed above.

https://www.mlb.com/news/new-top-200-draft-prospects-list-execs-rank-first-5

--

Still feeling OUTSTANDING days later people! Like, tremendously ebullient!

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Sam Dykstra, Jim Callis, and Jonathan Mayo at MLB.com comment on their favorite draft pick for each team. As they put it, some picks already stand out either for pure talent or talent relative to where they were picked. For the Nats, they went with Captain Obvious:

Nationals: Dylan Crews, OF (first round)
There was a ton of smoke that Washington would take whichever of the two LSU stars fell to them at No. 2, and that happened to be Crews. The 6-foot outfielder has a genuine claim as the best talent in the class with a legit plus-plus hit tool and lots of playable power, thanks to great bat speed, solid strength and a terrific approach that helps him drive balls or take walks. An above-average runner, he can stick in the middle of the grass, and that will start a new and fun debate in the nation’s capital – is he or James Wood the future Nats center fielder?

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/favorite-draft-picks-for-each-team-2023?t=mlb-draft-coverage

[welch]

An above-average runner, he can stick in the middle of the grass, and that will start a new and fun debate in the nation’s capital – is he or James Wood the future Nats center fielder?

And a wonderful to have, or to be justified!

[imref]

Saw some speculation that crews is signed but they want to announce separately. Maybe tomorrow?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Saw some speculation that crews is signed but they want to announce separately. Maybe tomorrow?

I will guess Crews money is somewhat contingent on what Brown signs for. They are essentially fighting over the remainder of the bonus pool. The Nats website has not reported Brown as signed or the money, despite a tweet from Callis (I think) yesterday saying he was signed.

[DCsOwn]

I will guess Crews money is somewhat contingent on what Brown signs for. They are essentially fighting over the remainder of the bonus pool. The Nats website has not reported Brown as signed or the money, despite a tweet from Callis (I think) yesterday saying he was signed.

Saved about 114,000 on the Brown deal according to Callis this morning. I posted the Callis tweet in the draft thread.