Why Dylan Crews is the Right Choice for Pirates

Story by Steelers Contributor Donnie Roberts II. Follow him on Twitter @OnTo74

The draft is coming up and many prospects’ dreams will come true. One in particular stands above the rest, LSU outfielder Dylan Crews. And guess what? The Pirates have the first overall pick. This seems like a match made in heaven, the obvious pick. Deemed as “the next Bryce Harper '', Crews led his team to the College World Series. His current slash line reads .434/.576/.735 with 17 home runs. And not to mention his offensive patience, he has 65 walks to 40 strikeouts. Crews seem like the only choice here.

MLB’s top draft prospect has all of the tools to shoot up the Pirate’s farm system and make an impact faster than any current prospect. Does that mean that Crews will dress for the black and gold in year one? Probably not, as we know that the Pirates like to take advantage of service time manipulation. But, realistically, it is not outside the realm of possibilities that Crews finishes the year at triple-A. And if he begins 2025 in triple-A, he won’t stay there for long. We are still a month away from the draft, but the hype around Crews is legit.

Here is my hot take of the day:  If the Pirates draft Dylan Crews, then they will be World Series contenders in two years. Yes, I really do think Crews has that type of potential. Along with other prospects like Davis, Rodriguez, and Johnson the bats should find their way to the big leagues soon. Add that to the Major League roster with the star players locked up under contract and the pitching outperforming expectations this year. 

It has been a long time since Pirates fans have had something to cheer about. If the Pirates manage to draft Dylan Crews the Pirates trajectory skyrockets. If and when Crews gets called up to the big leagues, the Pirates championship window opens up. The fans deserve to see a competitive team. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a World Series since 1979 and it should be long overdue to end that drought.