Washington Nationals Prospect Primed To Join James Wood as Franchise Building Block
The Washington Nationals won only 73 games during the 2024 season, but optimism and excitement surrounding the franchise are on the rise.
Their roster on Opening Day changed drastically throughout the campaign as young players replaced veterans, providing a glimpse of what the future can hold. The first look was certainly a promising one.
A dynamic duo has emerged in the middle infield with shortstop CJ Abrams making the All-Star team and Luis Garcia Jr. cementing his status as a building block at second base.
Up the middle in the outfield, the Nationals have one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball with Jacob Young. He is already a positive player with his glove alone; if his bat comes along, he is primed for a major breakout.
Flanking him in left field is James Wood.
Standing a tower 6’7” and weighing 234 pounds, he possesses herculean power that he combines with impressive athleticism and speed for a person of his size. He made his debut on July 1 and hit the ground running, taking over the every day job.
Heading into the 2025 season, all of those players looked locked into Opening Day roles. The team is certainly hoping that right fielder Dylan Crews can live up to expectations and join them in the lineup.
22 years old, the former LSU Tigers product isn’t even scratching the surface of his potential.
Despite a challenging debut in 2024, he was selected by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report as the team’s most MLB-ready prospect heading into 2025.
“A year after winning the Golden Spikes Award and going No. 2 overall in the 2023 draft, Crews made his MLB debut. He took his lumps, hitting .218/.288/.353 for an 82 OPS+ with nine extra-base hits and 12 steals in 132 plate appearances, but he will have every opportunity to break camp as the starting right fielder as he looks to join James Wood as a long-term building block.”
Washington added a few solid veterans to the mix this offseason to reinforce their foundation. Acquiring Nathaniel Lowe from the Texas Rangers and signing Josh Bell in free agency greatly improves first base and infuses power into the lineup.
Mike Soroka is a versatile piece for the pitching staff and retaining Trevor Williams was nice as he can eat up some innings. Recently signing relief pitcher Jorge Lopez provides the team with some much-needed experience in the bullpen.
But, if the Nationals are going to take a step forward in 2025, it will be because young players, such as Crews, find their stride and take that next step in their development.
He has “face of the franchise” potential with his incredible skill set. Despite limited reps in the Minor Leagues, there is no real reason to hold him back.
A spot on the Opening Day roster as the starting right field should be in his future.