Nats call up No. 3 overall prospect Dylan Crews

WASHINGTON -- One of the most highly anticipated Major League debuts in Nationals team history has arrived.

Outfielder Dylan Crews was called up from Triple-A Rochester to make his big league debut on Monday against the Yankees at Nationals Park. Exemplifying Washington’s new chapter, Crews will debut in right and bat second during former Nationals slugger Juan Soto’s return to D.C.

"I'm excited," Crews said during a Monday afternoon press conference. "It's a kid's dream to put on a Major League uniform and go out there and compete. It's going to be a special day."

• Get tickets for Monday's Nats game vs. Yankees

Crews, 22, was selected by the Nats with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 Draft out of LSU. He is ranked as the Nationals’ top prospect and No. 3 overall by MLB Pipeline.

• What to expect from Crews in the big leagues

Playing in his first full pro season, Crews slashed .272/.343/.446 with 21 doubles, six triples, 13 home runs, 60 runs and 68 RBIs with Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester. He’s also swiped 25 bases and drawn 35 walks in 99 games.

Crews has been hot at the plate this month, slugging .542 with four homers and 14 RBIs in August.

“He’s played at a high level, but there’s still that adjustment,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said prior to Friday's game against Atlanta. “It’s the preparation to play every day, finding that routine. He did it, and he did it really well. Like I said, he went from Double-A, he did well; he went to Triple-A and he’s really, really done well there. When he does come up, he’s going to get a chance to play every day, and we’ll see how he does here.”

Crews was one of several top prospects who participated in Major League Spring Training with the Nationals as the club built chemistry for its future. He began the season with the Double-A Senators, and he was promoted to the Triple-A Red Wings on June 18.

Crews is the eighth prospect to make his Major League debut with the Nationals this season, along with infielder Trey Lipscomb (March 30), infielder Nasim Nu?ez (March 30), left-hander Mitchell Parker (April 15), left-hander DJ Herz (June 4), outfielder James Wood (July 1), infielder Andrés Chaparro (Aug. 13) and right-hander Orlando Ribalta (Aug. 13).

"I think we've got a great group of guys in this organization right now," Crews said "You've seen it in our Minor League system. ... We're always winning and trying to get better every single day."

• Top debuts in Nationals history

Crews, who played center field and right field in the Minors, will join a promising young outfield that features Wood in left field and Gold Glove contender Jacob Young in center.

Crews became the Nationals’ highest Draft pick since Bryce Harper was the first overall selection in 2010. The Nats inked Crews to a $9 million signing bonus, above the pick value of $8,998,500, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis. At the time, it was the second-highest signing bonus in MLB Draft history.

Crews helped lead LSU to its seventh national championship in 2023. That year, he earned the Golden Spikes Award recognizing the best amateur baseball player in the United States.

Crews and right-handed hurler Paul Skenes became the first college teammates to go Nos. 1 and 2 in the MLB Draft. They will likely face off when the Nationals travel to Pittsburgh on Sept. 5 for a four-game series.

The Nationals envision Crews as a centerpiece of their future. In the short term, he will gain five weeks of experience to familiarize himself with the outfield, get a first look at big league pitching and acclimate with his teammates on the Major League level.

"I've got a lot of friends and family here, and they've been along the ride and the journey with me, so I'm really excited to go out there and just compete out there," Crews said. "Do what I've been doing since I was a little kid."