"I know Alex Bregman talks a lot about that" - Nationals No.1 prospect Dylan Crews discloses key area of focus during off-season

As Dylan Crews prepares for what could be a significant year in his development, the Washington Nationals top prospect highlighted a key adjustment he focused on during the offseason.

Crews, who was picked second overall by the Nationals in 2023, made his major league debut last year and finished the season with a .218 batting average, three home runs and eight RBIs. He was tabbed as the No. 1 overall prospect in the MLB pipeline at the conclusion of last season.

In an interview with MLB Network on Wednesday, Crews spoke about improving his approach at the plate this offseason by staying "down and through the baseball" and making sure to "stay on top of the ball."

"So, for me, this offseason especially, I really worked on just staying down and through the baseball - almost like hitting a ball above the baseball," Crews said. "I know Bregman talks a lot about that. He's an LSU guy, and we've talked about it.

"Yeah, just staying on top of the baseball and staying through it. But like I said, it all goes back to swinging at the right pitches, too. I think pitchers have a lot of success when you get out of your zone and stray from your plan. So, yeah, just sticking to it."

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Dylan Crews reflects on the past and near future before Opening Day

Dylan Crews is currently ranked MLB’s No. 4 prospect by MLB Pipeline. He'll be starting right field for the Nats in 2025. On Tuesday, Crews reflected on his 2024 campaign.

“Last year was kind of like a year where I was trying to figure out routines and everything, just figuring out what I need to do to be a part of the team, really,” he said.

After playing 31 games in 2024, Crews has a full season ahead and said he has matured to know what works and what doesn't.

"But I feel like this year, I have a good feeling of what to do and how the whole thing operates. Now, it's just full go from here. I know what to expect and what I’ve got to do to be prepared for the season,” the prospect added.

Before making his major league debut, Crews started for Harrisburg, batting .274/.343/.446 with five home runs, 38 RBI and 15 stolen bases.