Washington Nationals Top Draft Pick Has Electric Pro Debut on Thursday

It was a great professional debut on Thursday for No. 2 overall draft pick and Washington Nationals farmhand Dylan Crews.

Crews, who just helped lead LSU to a College World Series title, was selected in July one spot after LSU teammate Paul Skenes. 

The following update comes from the Rotowire fantasy baseball portal:

Crews went 3-for-3 with a double and three runs scored for the Nationals' Florida Complex League affiliate in his pro debut Thursday.

ANALYSIS
This is a very conservative assignment for the 21-year-old LSU star, and Crews figures to get a quick promotion to a full-season affiliate after getting his feet wet as a pro. Taken with the second overall pick in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft, the outfielder is a potential four-category fantasy asset who might also contribute in steals early in his career, and a 2024 big-league debut isn't off the table if Crews races through the Nats' system without facing much of a challenge.

That would be something for the ascending Nationals, who are in a deep rebuild. However, with Crews, and talent accumulated in trades of Max Scherzer, Juan Soto, Trea Turner and Josh Bell, the team could turn it around fast.

He won the Golden Spikes Award this year for the nation's top collegiate player after hitting .426 with 18 homers and 70 RBI. He also posted a .567 on-base percentage and stole six bases.

The Nationals are 46-63 at the major league level, which is the second-worst mark in the National League.

They'll play the Cincinnati Reds on Friday.