Nationals option Dylan Crews, No. 2 pick in 2023, to Triple A
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — In a transfer that appeared unlikely (though not impossible) in the beginning of camp, the Washington Nationals on Friday optioned outfielder Dylan Crews to Triple-A Rochester. The No. 2 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft struggled this spring.
“We absolutely believe in Dylan,” supervisor Blake Butera mentioned. “Our thoughts on Dylan as a person and a player have only changed in a positive direction. We just think the best thing for Dylan and the organization right now is for him to start in Triple A.”
The Nationals’ new entrance workplace has signaled a desire to not push their younger gamers, and sending down the 24-year-old Crews every week earlier than Opening Day seems to be in line with that philosophy.
“Whether he was putting pressure on himself or trying to make the team — all these different things — he can just go be Dylan now,” Butera mentioned, “and say, ‘I’m in Triple A. This is what I’m working on. This is what I need to get better at. Now, let me go do this.’”
Through 116 big-league video games, Crews has hit simply .211 with a .634 OPS. There is nuance to these numbers, although. For starters, he had simply 652 plate appearances in the minor leagues earlier than he was referred to as up late in 2024. Additionally, he suffered a left indirect pressure in 2025 that stored him out nearly three months.
While with Washington, he is additionally been a priceless base runner, outfielder and voice in the clubhouse. But excessive expectations have adopted him, too. He’s been considered as a pillar of this franchise — which Butera confused stays the case.
According to Butera, Crews took the demotion in addition to a participant may. Playing in Rochester, he mentioned, will permit him to make changes with out tens of hundreds of followers yelling down at him.
“He’s very mature, he’s a pro, he’s a confident kid,” Butera mentioned. “We don’t have any real concerns that (this will affect his mentality negatively). And if (it does), we told him… ‘We’d love to get a call from him.'”
Although Butera needed to maintain Crews’ changes in-house, he talked about Crews has usually fallen behind in the depend this spring (throughout which he went 3-for-29) and instructed they are going to assist him discover the correct method on the plate in Rochester. When requested about any swing adjustments that could possibly be essential, Butera mentioned Crews will not want any form of overhaul.
James Wood, Daylen Lile, Jacob Young, Christian Franklin and Joey Wiemer stay because the 5 outfielders on the roster. This leaves simply 13 place gamers in camp for 13 spots. Still, this doesn’t essentially imply all 13 will make the Opening Day roster — the Nationals in all probability will not finalize their roster till the final minute, Butera mentioned Friday.
As was the case with catcher Harry Ford, who was demoted earlier this weekthe Nationals could have members of their big-league workers in fixed communication with Crews whereas he’s in Rochester.
(*2*) Butera mentioned.
