When the Washington Nationals optioned Dylan Crews to Class AAA Rochester to start the season, it was intended to give him time to reset away from the major league spotlight. It’s now six weeks into the season, and a call-up still seems a ways away.
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So when could Crews, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft, make his way back to the majors?
He’s making progress, Devin Pearson, the Nationals’ assistant general manager, said recently. But even Crews would likely admit that he’s not quite ready yet. They still want him to work on swing decisions and ball flight; defensively, he needs to be prepared to play all three outfield positions.
“Dylan is in an unbelievable headspace right now,” Pearson said. “He is just focused on becoming the best version of himself. I think for him, he knows where he needs to get better and he’s been doing it each day.”
Crews made his MLB debut in 2024, just over a year after he was drafted. In 116 games across 2024 and 2025, he hit .211 with a .634 OPS and 13 home runs, as injuries and a chase rate of nearly 30 percent limited his production. In spring training, he hit just .103 with a .309 OPS in 12 games.
After a slow start, Crews has shown progress in nearly every category. He’s hitting the ball harder. His hard-hit percentage is 50 percent, the highest of his professional career, and his exit velocity is up a few decimal points. His strikeout percentage is still high, sitting at 26.3, but his walk percentage is up, it’s at 10.9, also the highest of his career.
He’s averaging .278 in six games in May with five extra base hits.
“If you go to Rochester and watch the work he’s put in, it’s really fun to watch,” Pearson said. “He’s taking steps every day.”
This is all encouraging to the Nationals, who still see him as a cornerstone in their rebuilding plan. When he is ready, he’ll fit in alongside James Wood, Daylen Lile and Jacob Young and will give the Nationals stability and control over their outfield through the 2030 season.
Other prospects are faring well, too.
Eli Willits, the Nationals’ top pick in the 2025 draft and No. 1 prospect, is still only 18 years old. His maturity, though, has impressed Nationals officials. He had a slow start to the season and was antsy in the box, but has since settled in nicely with Class A Fredericksburg. He’s hitting .264.
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“He looked himself in the mirror and was like, ‘I’m Eli Willits, let’s just do what I do,’” Pearson said. “He’s just progressed super nicely over the last couple of weeks.”
The Nationals moved fellow shortstop Ronny Cruz up to Class A Wilmington so that both he and Willits can get everyday playing time. He had a strong spring, homing in on swing decisions, and has carried that into the regular season. He’s hitting .325 with seven home runs across the two levels.
In Rochester, catcher Harry Ford, acquired from the Seattle Mariners this offseason, hasn’t had the start to the season that he would have liked. There’s a spot on the major league team waiting for him when he’s ready, but he’s 19 for 99 with only four extra base hits. Defensively, he’s worked on receiving with Nationals’ catching coach Bobby Wilson and Jake Lowery, the Nationals catching and game play coordinator.
“Harry, to his credit, has done everything we’ve asked,” Pearson said.
Like Crews, Christian Franklin and Robert Hassell III are trying to fit into the Nationals’ outfield plans.
Of the trio, Franklin is the only one who hasn’t made his MLB debut yet. He was one of the last players left in camp, and the Nationals have told him to dominate AAA to the point where they have no option but to call him up. He’s hitting .268 with a .404 on-base percentage. They also, Pearson said, want him to be confident at all three outfield positions.
Hassell’s strength is his defense, but the Nationals would like to see him get more out of his batted ball profile and get the ball in the air when the pitcher is throwing on the inner half of the strike zone. That’s where he’s pitched to the most, and where his numbers are the lowest.
Luis Perales, the Nationals’ No. 6 prospect, was acquired from the Boston Red Sox in December. He has a 4.56 ERA with Rochester. The focus for him on development routines so he can maintain his 100-plus mph stuff throughout his entire outing.
Jarlin Susana is at the Nationals’ complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, rehabbing from a surgery to repair a lat strain in his right shoulder in September. Susana, who has a triple-digit fastball, has started a throwing program.
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