Two young outfielders have defined the start of the 2025 season for the fledgling Nationals. Left fielder James Wood is striking fear into the hearts of pitchers while former No. 2 pick Dylan Crews toils under the Mendoza Line in right field.
Wood and Crews have been widely touted as the future for a Nationals club that has posted five consecutive losing seasons since winning the World Series in 2019.
After promising debuts in 2024, the outfielders’ first spring in the majors was supposed to be a step forward.
The results have been mixed.
Wood has looked like an All-Star at the plate. The 22-year-old leads the Nationals with five home runs and 11 walks through the team’s first 16 games. His .246 batting average, .377 on-base percentage and .561 slugging percentage rank among the team’s best.
Wood is a clear, everyday starter for the Nationals.
The jury is still out on Crews, who has long been considered one of the top prospects in MLB.
His potential has never been doubted. A five-tool prospect coming out of college, Crews was a no-brainer as the second pick in 2023.
The major league adjustment has been tough, though. The LSU product has produced a .106 batting average through the Nationals’ first 16 games, the second-lowest in MLB.
The power that was supposed to help define Crews’ career has been remarkably absent through the first three weeks of the season. He hadn’t recorded an extra-base hit through Monday’s games.
But manager Dave Martinez hasn’t responded to fans who think the 23-year-old needs more time in the minors.
“His at-bats are getting better,” Martinez said earlier this month. “He can’t chase hits. That’s the biggest thing right now. He’s just got to see the ball, get ready early and stay in the middle of the field.”
The advanced stats aren’t particularly kind to Crews, but they back Martinez’s rosier assessment. The “batting average on balls in play” data tries to account for the randomness of where a batted ball lands. The league average hovers around .300 — any number significantly above or below that threshold will likely return to the middle.
Crews’ .172 batting average on balls in play ranked near the bottom of the league on Tuesday. His 36.7% strikeout percentage is still a reason for concern, but the analytics aren’t world-ending.
MLB’s Statcast database assigned Crews a .209 expected batting average based on his performance this season. That baseline might still be underwhelming, but it nearly doubles his current average.
Assessments of Crews have relied on what he could become. Reviews of Wood marvel at what he’s already doing.
“As long as he’s on time, he’ll hit the ball hard. He’s really starting to get his foot down; he’s getting comfortable in the box,” Martinez said of Wood earlier this month. “He’s seeing pitches, he’s getting good pitches to hit and he’s hitting them hard. He’s ready to hit right from the first pitch, which is awesome.”
Wood ranked in the 99th percentile for barrel rate — the percentage of swings with ideal exit velocity and launch angle, according to Statcast.
“He’s such a good player. There’s more in there,” Martinez said. “This kid has a chance to hit 40 doubles and 30 homers.”
The rest of the Nationals’ lineup could take lessons from Wood. Catcher Keibert Ruiz has had a hot start, but much of the roster is struggling at the plate.
Entering Tuesday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, five different Nationals were batting below .200 — the traditional Mendoza Line demarking offensive futility.
“We’re staying positive every day,” Crews said following an April 6 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks. “We’re coming in, doing our work and just wishing for the best.”
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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