{"id":414,"date":"2026-05-16T08:05:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T08:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=414"},"modified":"2026-05-16T08:05:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T08:05:25","slug":"how-dylan-crews-and-the-nationals-other-prospects-are-faring-on-the-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=414","title":{"rendered":"How Dylan Crews and the Nationals\u2019 other prospects are faring on the farm"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dylan Crews, the No. 2 overall pick in 2023, looks destined for a midseason callup. (John McDonnell for The Washington Post)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

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\u2019s now six weeks into the season, and a call-up still seems a ways away.<\/p>

Read more Jason Collins, a gay trailblazer in the NBA, dies of brain cancer at 47<\/a><\/p>\n

So when could Crews, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft, make his way back to the majors?<\/p>\n

He\u2019s making progress, Devin Pearson, the Nationals\u2019 assistant general manager, said recently. But even Crews would likely admit that he\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cDylan is in an unbelievable headspace right now,\u201d Pearson said. \u201cHe is just focused on becoming the best version of himself. I think for him, he knows where he needs to get better and he\u2019s been doing it each day.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

After a slow start, Crews has shown progress in nearly every category. He\u2019s 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\u2019s at 10.9, also the highest of his career.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s averaging .278 in six games in May with five extra base hits.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you go to Rochester and watch the work he\u2019s put in, it\u2019s really fun to watch,\u201d Pearson said. \u201cHe\u2019s taking steps every day.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is all encouraging to the Nationals, who still see him as a cornerstone in their rebuilding plan. When he is ready, he\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n

Other prospects are faring well, too.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Eli Willits played in a Spring Breakout game against the St. Louis Cardinals in March. (Diamond Images\/Diamond Images\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Eli Willits, the Nationals\u2019 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\u2019s hitting .264.<\/p>

Read more Abbas takes 2-22 to lead Pakistan in 1st session of 2nd test against Bangladesh<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cHe looked himself in the mirror and was like, \u2018I\u2019m Eli Willits, let\u2019s just do what I do,\u2019\u201d Pearson said. \u201cHe\u2019s just progressed super nicely over the last couple of weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s hitting .325 with seven home runs across the two levels.<\/p>\n

In Rochester, catcher Harry Ford, acquired from the Seattle Mariners this offseason, hasn\u2019t had the start to the season that he would have liked. There\u2019s a spot on the major league team waiting for him when he\u2019s ready, but he\u2019s 19 for 99 with only four extra base hits. Defensively, he\u2019s worked on receiving with Nationals\u2019 catching coach Bobby Wilson and Jake Lowery, the Nationals catching and game play coordinator.<\/p>\n

\u201cHarry, to his credit, has done everything we\u2019ve asked,\u201d Pearson said.<\/p>\n

Like Crews, Christian Franklin and Robert Hassell III are trying to fit into the Nationals\u2019 outfield plans.<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Outfielder Christian Franklin played in Spring Training game in March. (Icon Sportswire\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Of the trio, Franklin is the only one who hasn\u2019t 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\u2019s hitting .268 with a .404 on-base percentage. They also, Pearson said, want him to be confident at all three outfield positions.<\/p>\n

Hassell\u2019s 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\u2019s where he\u2019s pitched to the most, and where his numbers are the lowest.<\/p>\n

Luis Perales, the Nationals\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

\u200bJarlin Susana is at the Nationals\u2019 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.<\/p>

Read more \u2018Bad day to be a hot dog\u2019 is a good day for the Nationals<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Crews struggled to start the season but has hit the ball harder lately. Other prospects are finding their footing, too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nHow Dylan Crews and the Nationals\u2019 other prospects are faring on the farm - Moving Insider USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=414\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Dylan Crews and the Nationals\u2019 other prospects are faring on the farm - Moving Insider USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Crews struggled to start the season but has hit the ball harder lately. 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