Let's Geaux: Dylan Crews

[imref]

Fangraphs actually had Skenes third behind Crews and Langford:
https://www.fangraphs.com/prospects/the-board/2023-mlb-draft

i must have looked at an earlier mock. But yeah, point still stands. Crews was highly rated and so far, just hasn't worked out. But he was definitely the right pick at the time.

[nobleisthyname]

i must have looked at an earlier mock. But yeah, point still stands. Crews was highly rated and so far, just hasn't worked out. But he was definitely the right pick at the time.

It's also confusing sometimes because they have their personal rankings (The BOARD) and separately they have their mock drafts where they predict where each player will get drafted. A lot of the time people will see the latter and think that's the same as their overall rankings.

But yeah your point is very valid.

[varoadking]

Fangraphs actually had Skenes third behind Crews and Langford:
https://www.fangraphs.com/prospects/the-board/2023-mlb-draft

They also listed the 5'10" Crews as 6'0"...

His obvious flaws were overlooked for some reason...kinda of like all these people were just fanbois too...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/sent-down-but-not-out-five-players-who-will-start-the-season-in-triple-a/

Dylan Crews debuted with the Nationals less than 14 months after being picked second in the 2023 draft, but he hasn’t exactly been an overnight success. He hit just .208/.280/.352 (77 wRC+) in 85 games last season while losing 12 weeks to an oblique strain, and failed to reach a 100 wRC+ in any calendar month. He was nearly helpless against breaking balls, hitting just .180 and slugging .220 against them while whiffing on 36.5% of swings; meanwhile, he slugged .303 with a 40.6% whiff rate against offspeed stuff. He was also utterly overwhelmed by lefties (.200/.241/.280, 44 wRC+).

This spring, the 24-year-old Crews went 3-for-29 with 11 strikeouts and just an 85.1 mph average exit velocity while “laboring through a ton of adjustments,” as Eric Longenhagen observed in some notes he shared with me. The Nationals’ new regime has tweaked Crews’ swing, and he doesn’t seem to have found a comfort level yet. “He was a toe-tap guy (then no stride with two strikes) last year, but now he’s using a leg kick (before again cutting it with two strikes), and the way his hands set up is also different,” wrote Eric, adding that Crews is swinging underneath upper-level fastballs and missing a lot of them up and away.

The Nationals optioned Crews to Triple-A Rochester with the expectation that he can continue working on some adjustments while under less pressure and scrutiny than he’d face while in the majors. Manager Blake Butera wasn’t willing to elaborate on the nature of those adjustments, but observed that Crews had been falling behind in counts, said that his swing did not need an overhaul, and added, “We expect him up here hopefully soon.”

[IanRubbish]

Nolan Shanuel on the Angels was picked 11th same draft as Crews, but is looking more promising.  Not a ton of power but strong BB/K and on base.

[imref]

Let's Geaux Part Deux?

[welch]

Spencer Nussbaum explains:

In recent weeks, Crews had shown improvement at the plate, including lifting the ball more, hitting with higher exit velocities and making better swing decisions. That was believed to be the among the final steps in his return process.

The former No. 2 pick debuted in 2024 to tons of fanfare, but the following season proved to be challenging. An oblique injury sidelined him for several months, and when he did play, he had just a .631 OPS.

Several officials within the organization believe Crews was rushed through the minor leagues before making his debut. They practiced patience this time through, waiting until everything clicked before bringing him back up.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7290010/2026/05/18/nationals-dylan-crews-recall-sources/

[Slateman]

I think we need to re-adjust expectations for him. This new, improved swing profile seems more like Spencer Torkelson

[imref]

I think we need to re-adjust expectations for him. This new, improved swing profile seems more like Spencer Torkelson

uh, if he hits like Torkelson his second go around in DC is likely going to be very short (Tork is hitting .191 with a .671 OPS)

[Slateman]

uh, if he hits like Torkelson his second go around in DC is likely going to be very short (Tork is hitting .191 with a .671 OPS)

Naw, he'll get at least a couple months to swing.

Also, a .671 OPS is an improvement over what Jacob Young was doing.

[Natsinpwc]

uh, if he hits like Torkelson his second go around in DC is likely going to be very short (Tork is hitting .191 with a .671 OPS)

And had a .789 OPS last year. 118 OPS plus

[NatsLSU]

LSU rally opossum engaged

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I think Young loses playing time in all these moves  and that Crews will see a lot of time in CF against RHP.

[nobleisthyname]

They practiced patience this time through, waiting until everything clicked before bringing him back up.

I mean, did they really? In a way that's meaningfully different from last time at least? In 2024 he had a .795 OPS in AAA across 238 PAs. This year he had a .777 OPS in AAA across only 177 PAs.

I suppose you could maybe make a process argument, but you can't make a results or length of time based argument for calling him up now.

Also, a .671 OPS is an improvement over what Jacob Young was doing.

Young has a .632 OPS and better underlying metrics. With the defensive dropoff the overall improvement might be less than you think if that's all Crews can bring to the plate.

[imref]

Zuck:

Asked what he learned about himself during his seven weeks in Rochester, Crews smiled.

“I’m pretty good. I’m really good,” the 24-year-old said. “Just trusting that, and that whatever I do is definitely enough. I’m going to go out there and just be me. And whatever happens, happens.”

[imref]

I mean, did they really? In a way that's meaningfully different from last time at least? In 2024 he had a .795 OPS in AAA across 238 PAs. This year he had a .777 OPS in AAA across only 177 PAs.

I suppose you could maybe make a process argument, but you can't make a results or length of time based argument for calling him up now.

Look at the trend though, he had been on a tear since April 25. .308 BA, .951 OPS, 3 HRs, 2 SBs (17 games)

[varoadking]

Zuck:

Asked what he learned about himself during his seven weeks in Rochester, Crews smiled.  “I’m pretty good. I’m really good,” the 24-year-old said.

Humble too.  The kid needs to prove it...he's done literally nothing in the Bigs...

[welch]

So far...

[imref]

Cubbage:

Trigger Warning: small sample size
Dylan Crews in his first 3 games back up in the big leagues
-12.5% Whiff rate (96th percentile)
-24% Chase rate (81st percentile)
-Bat Speed up 1 MPH

[NatsLSU]

He’s learning..

[blue911]

He’s learning..

Isn’t that what college is for?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Isn’t that what college is for?

LSU . . .?

[blue911]

LSU . . .?

My bad

[NatsLSU]

LSU . . .?

Hey watch it    I learned valuable lessons there like how to tailgate! At the end of the day, LSU was good enough to get me hired right alongside all the Ivy League TED Talk enthusiasts, so I guess it worked out. Where’d you go again?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Hey watch it    I learned valuable lessons there like how to tailgate! At the end of the day, LSU was good enough to get me hired right alongside all the Ivy League TED Talk enthusiasts, so I guess it worked out. Where’d you go again?

a school that's making this year's ncaa baseball tournament difference with a Yale NCAA appearance is making the tournament (as an auto bid) is enough to celebrate and winning a game in a regional is historic. That, and we produce GMs, POBO's, and Governors

Truth is I root for LSU for most SEC and NCAA championship sports. Goes back in football to when a bunch of early Belichick teams featured LSU players, plus Shaq's NCAA run.  Baseball came later in particular because of a friend whose family lives and dies by the Tigers. What happened this year?