Since he signed with LSU, superstar center fielder Dylan Crews has been viewed as a potential No. 1 overall MLB Draft pick in 2023.
The Longwood, Florida, native likely would have been a first-round pick out of high school in 2020, but he turned heads when he opted to withdraw from the draft and honor his commitment to LSU.
Now, three years later, that decision has proven to be fortuitous for the Tigers, who Crews led to their seventh national championship last month.
As a three-year staple in the center, Crews had one of the most prolific careers in college baseball history. The back-to-back SEC Player of the Year also won the Golden Spikes Award this past season after finishing as the national leader in runs scored (100) and walks (71).
He was also second in on-base percentage (.567) and base hits (110), while his .426 batting average ranked third. Though he’s known for his discipline at the plate more than his power, he also knocked 58 home runs in his collegiate career.
This is a long way of saying that Crews is a phenomenal baseball player, and whoever lands him will be very pleased. But despite spending nearly the entire season as the projected top pick, things seem to be changing on the eve of the draft.
The latest mock draft from ESPN baseball insider Kiley McDaniel has Crews falling to the second pick behind teammate Paul Skenes. Other mocks have projected high school outfielder Max Clark going with the first pick to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
So, what’s the deal?
According to McDaniel, the answer could revolve around money. Crews is reportedly asking for what would be a record-setting $10 million signing bonus. For reference, the previous record bonus for a top pick in the current era went to Spencer Torkelson in 2020, who inked an $8.42 million deal with Detroit Tigers.
There’s been speculation that the demand could be an attempt to dissuade the Pirates from drafting Crews, who may wish to play elsewhere. Whether there’s substance to that, it seems like Pittsburgh may not take the risk of not signing the top pick in such a talented draft class.
Even if Crews ultimately falls past the first pick, he likely won’t be available long. It would be a surprise to see him fall past the Washington Nationals or Tigers, who pick second and third, respectively.
But in a sport in which teams have to balance drafting the right player with drafting someone who will ultimately choose to sign, the best prospect may not be the first taken.
If Crews falls, that will likely be the case once again.
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