<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3Y345c_0v88a7zu00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3Y345c_0v88a7zu00" width="1600" height="900" >The Nationals are planning to promote prospect <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=crews-000dyl&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Dylan Crews</a>, reports Grant Paulsen of MLB Network Radio <a href="https://x.com/granthpaulsen/status/1827038180459073794">on X</a>. Crews will be making his major-league debut when the Nats host the Yankees on Monday. The young outfielder is not currently on the club’s 40-man roster, but it already has a vacancy there. Unless it uses that roster spot over the weekend, only a corresponding active roster move will be necessary.Crews, now 22, was selected with the second overall pick in last year’s draft, after his Louisiana State teammate <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/skenepa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Paul Skenes</a> was taken first by the Pirates. Crews put up huge numbers at the plate throughout his college career and carried that over into his professional career. After drafting him last summer, the Nats got his feet wet with some time at the Complex League level, Single-A and Double-A. He slashed .292/.377/.467 in 159 plate appearances for a wRC+ of 135.Coming into 2024, Crews was already considered one of the top 10 prospects in the sport, and he has continued to justify that status here in 2024. The Nats started him at Double-A, and he got into 51 games at that level this year. He slashed .274/.343/.446 for a 122 wRC+ while also stealing 15 bases. He was then promoted to Triple-A and has played in 48 games at that level, producing a line of .271/.343/.464 and a 108 wRC+ while swiping another 10 bags.In addition to that work at the plate and on the basepaths, Crews is considered a strong defender who could stick in center field for the long term. The Nats have given him a bit of time in the corners but have mostly had him up the middle and will likely view him as a fit there for the future.With his ability to contribute in all facets of the game, he is unanimously viewed as one of the best prospects in the sport at the moment. <a href="https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2024-top-100-prospects/">Baseball America</a> currently lists him fourth overall, though fellow Nat <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/woodja03.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">James Wood</a> is listed No. 1 and has since graduated from prospect status, effectively putting Crews in the No. 3 spot. The other two guys ahead of Crews are already in the majors: <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hollija01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Jackson Holliday</a> of the Orioles and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/caminju01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Junior Caminero</a> of the Rays. <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/prospects/the-board">FanGraphs</a> has Crews at No. 6, with <a href="https://www.mlb.com/prospects/top100/">MLB Pipeline</a> at No. 3, <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/40846519/2024-midseason-top-100-mlb-prospects-rankings-update-kiley-mcdaniel">ESPN</a> at No. 12 and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5656143/2024/07/25/mlb-top-prospects-2024-jackson-holliday/">Keith Law of The Athletic</a> at No. 7.The Nats have been in rebuilding mode for a few years and have been gradually building a core of young and controllable talent. In addition to the aforementioned Wood, they have shortstop <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abramcj01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">CJ Abrams</a>, pitcher <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gorema01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">MacKenzie Gore</a> and others. Their record is 58-70 this year, well out of contention, so they can focus on playing young players and getting them acclimated to the big leagues.It’s likely not a coincidence that Crews is being promoted at this part of the calendar, as the Nats should be able to keep his rookie status intact for 2025. To lose rookie status, a position player needs to either spend 45 days on an active roster or log 130 at-bats. There are now less than 45 days left in the 2024 season, so the Nats will undoubtedly manage his playing time in such a way that he doesn’t get to that 130 at-bat threshold.That is significant due to the prospect promotion incentive. In an attempt to mitigate service-time manipulation, the collective bargaining agreement allows clubs the chance to earn an extra draft pick if they promote a top prospect for a full season and that player goes on to win Rookie of the Year or meet other awards voting criteria. By keeping Crews a rookie for 2025, the Nats will have a chance to reap that reward if he ends up sticking on their roster for all of next year.For now, it will be interesting to see how the Nats deploy Crews in the outfield. As mentioned, Crews is considered a capable defender in center but has seen some time in the corners. The Nats currently have <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=youngja03,young-009jac,young-003jac,young-008jac,young-013jac&amp;search=Jacob+Young&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Jacob Young</a>, one of the best defensive center fielders in the league. Young has hit just .248/.308/.318 this year for a 79 wRC+ but he has 13 Defensive Runs Saved and 18 Outs Above Average. That OAA total is tops among all fielders at all positions this year, while the DRS mark is third among center fielders behind <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/duranja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Jarren Duran</a> and <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/varshda01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Daulton Varsho</a>.Perhaps the club will have Wood in left, Young in center and Crews in right, though they could also have <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=callal02,call--001ale&amp;search=Alex+Call&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Alex Call</a> in right and bump Young down to fourth outfielder status. Call is slashing .347/.429/.531 this year in his 112 plate appearances.Regardless of how they disperse the playing time, it’s yet another promotion that is part of the Nats putting together a young group they can build around. As they push towards opening a new competitive window, their payroll slate is fairly clean. With the <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/corbipa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Patrick Corbin</a> contract off the books after this season, their two notable commitments will be for catcher <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ruizke01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Keibert Ruiz</a> and retired star <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/strasst01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&amp;utm_campaign=2024-08-23_br">Stephen Strasburg</a>. Perhaps that will make them an interesting player in the upcoming offseason, though that might depend on how their young players perform in the remainder of the schedule.</div></body>

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Nationals to promote former No. 2 overall pick

The Nationals are planning to promote prospect Dylan Crews, reports Grant Paulsen of MLB Network Radio on X. Crews will be making his major-league debut when the Nats host the Yankees on Monday. The young outfielder is not currently on the club’s 40-man roster, but it already has a vacancy there. Unless it uses that roster spot over the weekend, only a corresponding active roster move will be necessary.

Nationals to promote former No. 2 overall pick

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