Dylan Crews came into the 2023 season as one of the top prospects in the MLB Draft. With the draft this weekend, his professional destination awaits. Crews and the LSU Tigers also entered the season as the #1 team in the country with expectations of reaching Omaha for the first time in his career.
Being named All-American and SEC Co-Player of the Year in 2022, I still felt Crews had room for improvement. Namely, I wanted Crews to have an on-base percentage of .500 and cut down on his strikeouts. On the latter, I understand strikeouts are more accepted in today’s game, but a player of Crews’s caliber should be capable of striking out less. Crews finished 2022 with 56 strikeouts, the highest count on the LSU team. While he did have more plate appearances (307) than most of the lineup, first baseman Tre Morgan had the most (330) and only struck out 26 times.
As for the .500 on-base percentage? Some may have said that was too lofty.
While some may have laughed at the idea of getting on base half the time, Crews did that, and then some. He reached base every single game of the 2023 season, which included 71 games. Crews finished the season with an on-base percentage of .567, hitting for an average of .426 with 18 home runs.
As for the strikeouts, Crews did cut down that number. He struck out 46 times in 2023 in 344 plate appearances.
As lofty as the expectations were, Crews smashed them all while playing centerfield at a Gold Glove level. In fact, Crews was immaculate in the field in 2023, with a fielding percentage of 1.000.
Not only did Crews perform at the highest level, but he did so in the biggest moments. In what would be his final at-bat in Alex Box Stadium, Crews delivered a two-RBI double in the top of the ninth inning to give LSU an 8-3 lead over Kentucky in the super regional. That lead would hold as they advanced to the College World Series.
Then there was Game 3 of the College World Series Championship. Crews went 4-of-6 from the plate and made a huge defensive play that secured momentum for the Tigers.
The game turned into a rout, which led to Crews having a chance to do the ring celebration popularized by fellow LSU stars Joe Burrow and Angel Reese.
While Crews significantly contributed to a championship, he also achieved numerous personal accolades including the Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate baseball player.
Dylan Crews exceeded all expectations. Here’s to an absolute LSU legend.
OUTTA HERE!
Clarknado Sports 