Let's Geaux: Dylan Crews

[Slateman]

Isn’t that what college is for?

College is basically Single A ball

[imref]

College is basically Single A ball

better parties though.

[IdahoNat]

Redeemed himself tonight after botching that insurance run yesterday.

[NatsLSU]

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?

missed big on the portal players, tried finding the HiPo players from smaller schools and it just didn’t work. A lack of real leadership in the locker room and some key injuries, along with the worst pitching staff I can remember. So, so bad. I wouldn’t draft any eligible player from this team, it was that bad. Didn’t expect Jay to miss that bad in the portal but great learning lesson. 2 World Series wins in the last 4 seasons ain’t too bad though. It’ll get turned around.

[varoadking]

Can anyone explain why he is back on the 26 man roster?  We've released better players...

[Elvir Ovcina]

Can anyone explain why he is back on the 26 man roster?  We've released better players...

Because there's not any reason for him to be in AAA.  He hits when he's there and he's a good OF.  He's not going to develop more there.

I get that it's not optimal to have two Jacob Youngs at once, but there's at least a use for them both on defense when neither starting corner OF is much of a positive on defense, and you can't roll with only three OFs in any event.  Maybe he figures it out at the plate.  Maybe he stays as Jacob Young Jr., but even a second Jacob Young is a better use of a roster spot than Vivas or Chaparro, and probably Tena too.  It's not like they're drowning in capable position players.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Because there's not any reason for him to be in AAA.  He hits when he's there and he's a good OF.  He's not going to develop more there.

I get that it's not optimal to have two Jacob Youngs at once, but there's at least a use for them both on defense when neither starting corner OF is much of a positive on defense, and you can't roll with only three OFs in any event.  Maybe he figures it out at the plate.  Maybe he stays as Jacob Young Jr., but even a second Jacob Young is a better use of a roster spot than Vivas or Chaparro, and probably Tena too.  It's not like they're drowning in capable position players.

I'm on board with playing Crews, but I'm curious if you think any of the Franklins and Pinckneys in AAA can also do what Crews is doing.

I guess Franklin is not projected as CF, certainly not in the defensive class of Young and Crews.

Pinckney seems like an athlete with 20 HR power in the minors. K rate is high (30% range) but draws some BBs (progressed from  7.5% to 8.6% to 10.8% over the last  3 seasons), and steals a lot. High BABIP,  too, but consistently high at  every level. He's off the roster so I don't think he's in the mix for now, but he seems to have an good AAA track record that is  arguably better than Crews.

[imref]

FWIW, look at Crews' data on baseball savant. He's hitting the heck out of the ball and not striking out very much.  He's had a total of 51 PAs.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/dylan-crews-686611?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

There's a similar discussion going on right now on Reddit. One of the posters brought up Jordan Walker as a comparison. Walker posted a .787 OPS in his first year, .619 in his second, and .584 in his third. Obvious bust right?

This year? .892

Most players need some time to adjust to the majors.

Oh, and Wyatt Langford, who hasn't played since April 16, had an OPS of .636 before getting hurt. Down about .140 from his 2025 season.

Max Clark at AAA this year: .752, .024 lower than Crews posted at AAA before getting called up.

[Slateman]

FWIW, look at Crews' data on baseball savant. He's hitting the heck out of the ball and not striking out very much.  He's had a total of PAs.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/dylan-crews-686611?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

There's a similar discussion going on right now on Reddit. One of the posters brought up Jordan Walker as a comparison. Walker posted a .787 OPS in his first year, .619 in his second, and .584 in his third. Obvious bust right?

This year? .892

Most players need some time to adjust to the majors.

Oh, and Wyatt Langford, who hasn't played since April 16, had an OPS of .636 before getting hurt. Down about .140 from his 2025 season.

Max Clark at AAA this year: .752, .024 lower than Crews posted at AAA before getting called up.

There is some promise, but Crews keeps beating the ball into the ground. And yes, the Walker comparison is a great one. Sometimes guys take a while and need different coaching.


The point is, we're not competing for the playoffs. This season was all about seeing how much we can develop the players we already have and build the farm system. Let him keep going here and re-assess around the ASB.

[varoadking]

There's a similar discussion going on right now on Reddit. One of the posters brought up Jordan Walker as a comparison. Walker posted a .787 OPS in his first year, .619 in his second, and .584 in his third. Obvious bust right?

This year? .892

Most players need some time to adjust to the majors.

Oh, and Wyatt Langford, who hasn't played since April 16, had an OPS of .636 before getting hurt. Down about .140 from his 2025 season.

Max Clark at AAA this year: .752, .024 lower than Crews posted at AAA before getting called up.

None of that has anything to do with Crews...he's been in the system since 2023...and...to this point...he sucks...

[varoadking]

Because there's not any reason for him to be in AAA.  He hits when he's there and he's a good OF.  He's not going to develop more there.

I get that it's not optimal to have two Jacob Youngs at once, but there's at least a use for them both on defense when neither starting corner OF is much of a positive on defense, and you can't roll with only three OFs in any event.  Maybe he figures it out at the plate.  Maybe he stays as Jacob Young Jr., but even a second Jacob Young is a better use of a roster spot than Vivas or Chaparro, and probably Tena too.  It's not like they're drowning in capable position players.

It's the Peter Principle with him...keeps getting promoted a position that he's incapable of performing at...

[Elvir Ovcina]

It's the Peter Principle with him...keeps getting promoted a position that he's incapable of performing at...

He's the only guy besides Young and Hassell in AA or above who can play CF in MLB.  The team needs to carry a second dude who can actually play CF.  It's not a position where you can stick any schmoe there and expect it to go ok.  If you prefer Hassell, fine, but he's hitting .225 with no power in AAA and stunk in MLB last year.

Right now, they're carrying the bare minimum for OFs.  4 guys, two of whom can play CF.  Roster-wise, it's pretty hard to get away with less.

[varoadking]

He's the only guy besides Young and Hassell in AA or above who can play CF in MLB.  The team needs to carry a second dude who can actually play CF.  It's not a position where you can stick any schmoe there and expect it to go ok.  If you prefer Hassell, fine, but he's hitting .225 with no power in AAA and stunk in MLB last year.

OK...so that puts him on the 26 man...thanks.  Then he should be on the bench and put in when someone gets injured...not starting everyday...

[Elvir Ovcina]

OK...so that puts him on the 26 man...thanks.  Then he should be on the bench and put in when someone gets injured...not starting everyday...

He isn't, though.  He's only started 2 of the past 4 games.  He didn't start the first game against Miami or the last game against SD.  He also didn't play in the last game against Cleveland (and that was with an off day afterward). 

It'd be a lot better if he could hit lefties.  Or righties.  Or anything.  But he is indeed playing less than the other three.

I'm on board with playing Crews, but I'm curious if you think any of the Franklins and Pinckneys in AAA can also do what Crews is doing.

I guess Franklin is not projected as CF, certainly not in the defensive class of Young and Crews.

Pinckney seems like an athlete with 20 HR power in the minors. K rate is high (30% range) but draws some BBs (progressed from  7.5% to 8.6% to 10.8% over the last  3 seasons), and steals a lot. High BABIP,  too, but consistently high at  every level. He's off the roster so I don't think he's in the mix for now, but he seems to have an good AAA track record that is  arguably better than Crews.

True, Pinckney could probably handle CF defensively.  Offensively, he'd likely get eaten alive in MLB.  He can't hit off-speed stuff...like, at all, from either handed pitching.  The Giants have a guy in their system named Grant McCray who is similar but hits lefty.  He hits fine in the minors and can't hit at all in MLB (.185 with a sub-6 OPS). 

Pinckney's like a poor man's Michael A. Taylor: worse contact issues and without the plus-plus defense, but with some power.   He's also a year older than Crews.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He was kept out due to a wrist, iirc. But he's not taking time from Young until JY goes cold.

At this point, the Nats best lineup has the 4 OFs plus Mead. Abrams, probably Nunez, and Ruiz in it, with ? At 1st. You want to make the case for Tena dh vs righties, I will listen

[Slateman]

He isn't, though.  He's only started 2 of the past 4 games.  He didn't start the first game against Miami or the last game against SD.  He also didn't play in the last game against Cleveland (and that was with an off day afterward). 

It'd be a lot better if he could hit lefties.  Or righties.  Or anything.  But he is indeed playing less than the other three.

True, Pinckney could probably handle CF defensively.  Offensively, he'd likely get eaten alive in MLB.  He can't hit off-speed stuff...like, at all, from either handed pitching.  The Giants have a guy in their system named Grant McCray who is similar but hits lefty.  He hits fine in the minors and can't hit at all in MLB (.185 with a sub-6 OPS). 

Pinckney's like a poor man's Michael A. Taylor: worse contact issues and without the plus-plus defense, but with some power.   He's also a year older than Crews.

He only didn't start because he got hurt. The team is going to play him most days, largely because they have an empty DH spot to play someone.

Crews is playing because of his scouted talent and the indicators he showed in Triple A this season. Again, this team isn't competing for anything. They are using this season to see what they have and what can be improved. That's why Vivas and Tena continue to get playing time. That's why Garcia is still here. That's why Ruiz wasn't just cut.

Crews revamped his swing with the new coaching staff in Rochester. I don't know why we would just give up on him after a few games.

[Slateman]

He was kept out due to a wrist, iirc. But he's not taking time from Young until JY goes cold.

At this point, the Nats best lineup has the 4 OFs plus Mead. Abrams, probably Nunez, and Ruiz in it, with ? At 1st. You want to make the case for Tena dh vs righties, I will listen

Pretty much. Crews is pretty much taking at bats away from Tena, as it pushes Wood or Lile to the DH spot.

Again, its basically been two weeks. We can have conversation about him taking playing time from someone more deserving at the ASB. But two completely different scouting and player development staffs have looked at this guy and wanted him at the MLB level.

[IanRubbish]

His hard hit and EV numbers look good, chase rate is miserable. That's fixable, but he's not responding to the new coaches as well as many others have.

[imref]

432’

[imref]

Per statcast, he’s improved in all metrics except walk percentage and chase percentage from last year.

[IdahoNat]

Will he become the third head of the three-headed dragon we so desperately need?

[welch]

Crews looks like a hitter. Hits hard. And he fields. And he runs the bases. Looks like a ballplayer.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Will he become the third head of the three-headed dragon we so desperately need?

I'd be  happy if he was a supporting actor / regular cast member along with Lile and Mead.

[Slateman]

Do we desperately need a third monster in the lineup? Offense has been fine without it.

[aspenbubba]

Do we desperately need a third monster in the lineup? Offense has been fine without it.

Well, the two headed momster has swooned the past two seasons after the ASB which they have played. And no,this isn't an endorsement of Crews which I have compared to KieBUST 2.0. I hope I am wrong on the later.