Struggling Young Nationals Star Still Leads Team In Key Offensive Stat

Can this young Washington Nationals player keep his current pace in this key stat?

Apr 28, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (3) advances to third base on a single by Nationals outfielder Alex Call (not pictured) against the New York Mets during the second inning at Nationals Park. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals are one of the more exciting teams in baseball. A lot of that excitement stems from the young, offensively talented players at the top of their lineup.

Short stop C.J. Abrams, 24, has been providing consistent contact from the leadoff spot, slashing for .286/.355/.500 with 28 hits and five doubles on the year.

Outfielder James Wood, 22, has provided power to the lineup all year, leading the team in home runs at ten, which is tied for fifth in the MLB. He is slashing .281/.382/.555 on the year, with his .937 OPS ranking tenth in the MLB. He leads the team with ten home runs, which is tied for fifth in the major leagues.

Outfielder Dylan Crews, 23, has had a rough start to his first full year with the Nationals. His biggest struggles have come in the batters box, batting just .188 on the season in 128 at bats. His lack of production has taken him from one of the favorites to win National League Rookie of the Year to batting eight in Washington's lineup.

Despite his rough numbers, Crews is finding ways to help the Nationals offense in another way: speed.

Apr 19, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews (3) slides into second ahead of a play by Colorado Rockies second base Kyle Farmer (6) during the seventh inning at Coors Field. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

How is Dylan Crews Utilizing His Blistering Speed?

Crews leads Washington in stolen bases with nine swiped bags, which is tied for tenth in the MLB with five other players. Both his stealing and overall base running speed are important skills for Crews to keep himself in the Nationals' lineup. According to Baseball Savant, Crews is in the 95th percentile in spring speed in the MLB, making him one of the fastest players in all of baseball.

Even if his batting average improved, keeping him at the bottom of the lineup to use his speed in a "double-leadoff" strategy could unlock a new level of offense. Besides, it would be very unlikely Crews would ever take away the leadoff spot from Abrams, who has eight stolen bases in his own right.

Crews was the second overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, going one spot behind LSU Tigers teammate Paul Skenes. He spent his brief minor league career near the top of MiLB's Top 100 Prospects list.

The Nationals are 17-21 on the season and fourth in the National League East. They are coming off an 8-6 loss against the Cleveland Guardians, allowing all eight runs in the sixth inning.