A look at what is next in the development of Dylan Crews
Dylan Crews enters 2025 as the Nationals starting right fielder, and a favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year. However, for a guy that is still the number one prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, it has felt like there has not been a ton of buzz around him.
That could due to the towering presence of James Wood, the fact he was a consolation prize to Paul Skenes, or the fact he had a good, but not great season in the minors. At any rate, Crews is still a massive part of the Nationals future and still brings a lot to the table on both sides of the ball.
The most promising part of Crews’ 2024 season was his defensive prowess. Crews won a minor league gold glove for his work in center field. With defensive ace Jacob Young in center, Crews shifted to right field when he got the call to the big leagues. He was just as good in the corner outfield spot.
Crews was stellar in his 31 MLB games on defense. He complied three outs above average, which would put him on a gold glove trajectory if he plays that way in 2025. Crews is a plus level center fielder who is playing a corner outfield spot, and it shows. He made a number of spectacular plays, including a smooth diving catch against the Marlins that stood out. Crews could get a Major League gold glove next year, and his defensive value will be a key part of how he wins rookie of the year.
Since becoming a pro, Dylan Crews has hit well, but has left Nats fans wanting just a little bit more. He did not light up the Minor Leagues the way some people expected. At LSU, he was one of the most accomplished college hitters of the past decade. However, he has faced a couple bumps in the road in pro ball.
Crews also had his struggles at the plate in the big leagues. After a sizzling start to his career in a memorable series against the Yankees, Crews slowed down. He finished the season with a .218 average and ..641 OPS. He never looked overmatched, but there was certainly an adjustment period.
Crews should turn into at least a solid hitter given his pedigree, and solid batted ball profile, but how good his bat gets will determine his ceiling. Crews can be a good player even if he is just an average hitter, due to his speed and defense. However, given his hype, more will be expected of him. He has the ingredients to be a good hitter, having shown good exit velocities, a solid approach, and plus bat speed. However, he still needs to put it all together.
Crews also has a habit of putting the ball on the ground too much, which is a consistent problem for hitters throughout the Nationals organization. The tools are there, Crews just needs to find the right way to use his toolkit at the plate.
Dylan Crews is a rare player who has both a high floor and a high ceiling. Even if he doesn’t improve that much, it is still easy to see how he can be an effective big leaguer. However, there is plenty of runway for him to tap into even more upside. If he hits his ceiling, Crews can be one of the most well rounded players in the game. Don’t be surprised if Dylan Crews is competing for Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove honors this season.