TAMPA, Fla. — Dylan Crews was put on a fast track to Washington the moment he was drafted second overall in 2023. The outfielder, one of two potential superstars from LSU taken with consecutive picks in that draft, was set to be part of the Nationals’ new beginning — and quickly.

Because of this, Crews played fewer games in the minor leagues (148) than he did in college (196). The rocket-like ascension through the organization was deserved — he had an .800 on-base-plus-slugging percentage through those 148 games — but life as a young man in the majors has yet to be so smooth.

With the weight of expectations, Crews handles himself well. He speaks the part of a leader despite only just turning 24, and his teammates look at him as such. But, as Crews learns the difficulties that come with life in the majors, his new manager attempts to ease the burden that is, at times, as self-imposed as anything.

“The thing with Dylan is just making sure he doesn’t put too much pressure on himself because of how great he wants to be,” manager Blake Butera said last week. “A lot of our jobs as a staff is making sure we can put him in a situation where he is, ‘Just go be Dylan Crews and go play.’”

There is good reason for the expectations around Crews. At LSU, he produced three straight seasons with an OPS above 1.100. That sort of offensive display is hard to fathom, and it made him a no-doubt high draft pick, right alongside future Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes.

But, when Crews arrived in the majors in 2024, it was not a seamless transition. Nor did he succeed in 2025. Crews hit .208 with a .631 OPS in an injury-shortened campaign.

Now, with a new organizational structure led by president of baseball operations Paul Toboni and Butera, there is renewed focus on bringing out the best in Crews.

“We’ve told Dylan numerous times just how special of a person, how special of a player he is, and I think the sky is the limit for Dylan,” Butera said. “He’s still trying to figure out how this all works.”

He had a more difficult time adjusting last season because he missed about three months due to a left oblique strain (and he was scratched from the lineup Sunday with a sore thumb). This winter, Crews said, he prioritized core workouts to mitigate future issues.

“That way, throughout a long season, something doesn’t pop up and you have to almost restart,” Crews said. “We really attacked that this offseason, and really just trying to use my athleticism to the most that I can, to the most of my ability.”

But Crews also knows his breakout will require better plate discipline. Crews said he wants to reinforce the areas of his game he feels are strengths, as well as improving his pitch selection — an area in which he struggled last year.

Crews chased pitches outside the strike zone at a 29.5% rate, and he swung and missed overall at a 30.7% clip, according to Statcast. He especially struggled against breaking balls (.180 average), and he didn’t always take advantage of the fastballs he saw.

Butera has reminded Crews to target specific locations of the zone with fewer than two strikes while taking pitches that are in borderline locations.

For instance, Crews hit more than half of his balls in play at 95 mph or harder when making contact with pitches in the upper middle or lower middle part of the plate. He succeeded against pitches in the heart of the zone, too. But the low-and-away and low-and-inside quadrants of the plate caused Crews issues, leading to elevated whiff numbers.

Pitchers, of course, know that too, and they’ll “attack him in whatever weakness area that might be,” Butera said. “The biggest thing for him is making sure he’s a little more selective at the plate and patient.”

“I know he has it in him,” said outfielder James Wood, who is another member of this early-20s core. “Everybody goes through bumps, and sometimes that’s the best thing for you. So, I mean, I have a lot of faith in him, just making strides and kind of being who he knows he’s capable of being.”

The Nationals don’t want to saddle Crews with too much right away. But, realistically, his development goes hand in hand with Washington’s. He’s a major piece of this next wave of talent; for the Nationals to become competitive, he and others are essential parts.

As Crews reflected on his first 116 games in the majors, he said he learned “things can add up quickly,” so the more he is dedicated to routines and preparation, the better. And when poor results stack up?

“You have to go back to the times you were successful,” Crews said, “and really think about those times and try to lean on those as much as you can so those failures, or lessons, don’t weigh on you as much.”

That may be half the battle. Crews wants to be great. But, to be great, he may need to let go of what can instead compound as pressure.