Dylan Crews is one of the most feared hitters on the amateur baseball scene. Crews was a potential first round draft pick in 2020 but chose to take his name out of the draft after things shut down due to COVID-19. Since his arrival in Baton Rouge, he’s done nothing but great things. With a three-year track record of production, Crews had a season for the ages at the plate for the Tigers. He’s proven himself as a hitter and a center fielder who can track down balls over his head.
Scouts believe he even has the potential to reach the majors as fast as anyone in the draft. Here’s a look at his draft profile before he’s a top draft pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Dylan Crews Draft Profile
Scouting grades: Hit: 70 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 65
Strengths
Crews has the best bat in the draft. Not only does he hit for average, but he can hit for power too. He’s a selective hitter, knowing what he wants to hit until he gets it. He hits the ball hard, thanks to a quick right-handed stroke, strength, and leverage in his 6-foot frame. After creating some mild swing-and-miss concerns last summer, he’s controlling the strike zone and making contact better than ever. Crews posts meager chase numbers, as he only projects a few strikeouts moving forward.
Here’s an example of Crews at the plate. He hit .388 with a .705 slugging percentage and an OPS over 1.250 against fastballs. In 2021, his whiff rate was 13% when chasing heaters. The following year, that % went up to 16%, with the MLB-average-whiff-rate on fastball being 18%.
Weaknesses
While Crews has speed and is an aggressive runner, he won’t be a stolen base threat as a professional. In the past, Crews has tried to do too much at the plate instead of letting the game come to him. When he gets into two-strike counts, his swing rate goes up to 50 percent, including a 48 percent swing rate in 0-2 counts. Besides his whiff rates on certain pitchers, this might be a lot. Getting to Crews to chase is the key, and unfortunately for pitchers at his level, that’s only possible.
Crews loves the fastball but is vulnerable against the sliders. His whiff percentage against sliders in 2022 was 41 percent, as the MLB average is 33. While Crews has the willingness to stay inside the zone, when pitchers have gotten him to swing at sliders, they’ve had success. Although, Crews still hit .300 with a .640 slugging percentage against the pitch.
MLB Player Comparison
Tyler O’Neill of the St. Louis Cardinals is the most accurate MLB player comparison. O’Neill, a former third-round pick by the Seattle Mariners, has similar traits to Crews. Both share identical hitting characteristics and struggled against advanced competition later in their pre-senior, like Crews. However, each player shares comparable body comparisons, too, with Crews being 5-foot-11 while O’Neill is 6 feet tall. Like O’Neill, Crews is still a future middle-of-the-order hitter with an elite swing. Whoever drafts him will be lucky to have him in their farm system.
Photo Credit: © SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK
Players mentioned:
