Pittsburgh Pirates Draft: Dylan Crews Season Off to a Terrific Start

Likely no. 1 overall draft pick Dylan Crews is off to a scorching hot start at the collegiate level this spring

After winning Major League Baseball's first ever draft lottery, the Pittsburgh Pirates will have the no. 1 overall pick in this summer's MLB Draft. This marks the second time in three seasons that the Bucs have held the top pick in the draft.

The last time they had the top pick (2021) in the draft they selected a college hitter by drafting Henry Davis. While the draft is still four months away it appears they will be drafting a college hitter again as all signs point toward LSU outfielder Dylan Crews being the no. 1 overall selection in this year's draft.

So far in the college baseball season, Crews has looked every bit the part of the no.1 overall pick. Crews is off to a scorching hot start with the LSU Tigers this season, and this scorching start continued on Friday night when he launched a monster home run deep into the night.

Through LSU's first 9 games of the season Crews has 42 plate appearances. In these 42 PAs he is hitting for a .484/.619/.774 slash line. Crews has hit 2 home runs, 3 doubles, he's stolen a base, and driven in 12 runs.

MLB Pipeline gives Crews a 60 grade hit and power tool, a 55 grade arm and running tool, and a 50 grade fielding tool. He consistently makes solid, loud contact with the bat. Crews controls the strike zone and hammers velocity, as well as quality off-speed pitches.

Crews should be, at worst, an average center fielder in the majors, but if center field does not work out he would be a plus defender in right field. It is easy to see why Crews is being viewed as the guy in this year's MLB Draft.

It might be a bit premature to start printing the Dylan Crews Pittsburgh Pirates jerseys. After all, in March 2021 there were very few people who would have predicted the Pirates to draft Davis. That said, there also was not a clear cut no. 1 player in 2021. There was buzz around Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker (pre-injury), Marcelo Mayers, and Jordan Lawler. This year, Crews appears to be the clear cut no. 1 player that was not on the board in 2021.