The Washington Nationals plan to call up outfielder Dylan Crews, the No. 3 prospect in Major League Baseball, to make his debut Monday night against the New York Yankees, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Friday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the decision had not been announced.
The 22-year-old Crews was drafted No. 2 overall by Washington last summer — after his LSU teammate Paul Skenes was taken first by Pittsburgh — and quickly rose through the minor leagues.
Crews is batting .272 with 13 homers and 68 RBIs in 99 games this season for Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester.
He will join 21-year-old James Wood in Washington's young outfield. Wood debuted on July 1 for the rebuilding Nationals, who acquired him in the 2022 trade that sent Juan Soto to San Diego.
While not confirming the decision to recall Crews, Nationals manager Dave Martinez said before Friday night's game at Atlanta that he hoped to see the same consistency Crews had shown in college and the minors.
''He's starting to hit the fastball a lot better. He's taking his walks like he did in college. And he's been playing unbelievable defense,'' Martinez said.
Washington won the World Series in 2019 and has not had a winning season since. General manager Mike Rizzo traded away the core of that championship-winning roster, dealing Trea Turner and Max Scherzer in 2021 and Soto a year later.
