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Nats' Crews goes 3-for-3 in pro debut

No. 2 overall Draft pick scores three runs in Rookie ball
Dylan Crews won the 2023 Golden Spikes Award, given to the top amateur baseball player in the nation. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)
By Jordan Meneo
August 3, 2023

The Dylan Crews hype train has officially left the station. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 Draft made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League on Thursday, going a perfect 3-for-3, including a double off the right-field wall in his first at-bat. Crews also scored three runs

The Dylan Crews hype train has officially left the station. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 Draft made his pro debut in the Florida Complex League on Thursday, going a perfect 3-for-3, including a double off the right-field wall in his first at-bat. Crews also scored three runs in his first game for the FCL Nationals.

"I was seeing it pretty good. I didn’t swing at any balls, which is something I take a lot of pride in and work really hard at. I was commanding it pretty good and seeing it pretty well. I’d say it was a positive today for sure," Crews said.

There was zero rust for the LSU product, who was well in command of the plate. As for the adjustment from college to the pros, it doesn't seem to be a factor for this young slugger.

"The game doesn’t change at the end of the day, it’s still the same game. I’m going to go out there and compete every day. [Today] was a great day," Crews said.

Going into the Draft, Crews, who was No. 2 on MLB Pipeline's Top 250 Draft Prospects list, was seen as a true five-tool prospect. On a 20-80 scale, MLB Pipeline graded the outfielder with a 70-grade hit tool, 60-grade power and speed and 55-grades for his arm and defense. While only one game into his professional career, Crews certainly lived up to the hype Thursday.

The 21-year-old has had quite the summer. In June, LSU and Crews became College World Series champions, with the outfielder being awarded the World Series MVP. Just under two weeks later, the Florida native was selected second overall by Washington.

"It’s all happening so fast for sure. It’s hard to kind of soak everything in. It’s just day-to-day for me, every day is a brand new day. [I’m] just trying to compete my butt off every single day and that’s it really," Crews said.

Crews slashed a remarkable .380/.498/.689 during his three seasons at LSU. Perhaps more astonishing is the .426 batting average that he put up this past season. To pair with his ridiculous numbers, he was awarded the 2023 Golden Spikes Award, given every year to the best amateur player in the country.

"I’m in a great organization, and they’re helping me out tremendously to get to where I need to get to. They’re getting me 110% ready to play these games, and I couldn’t be happier with where I am,” Crews said.

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