Pirates made right call on Skenes but Nationals happy with Crews

The decision came down to two players from the same team.

When the Pittsburgh Pirates pondered the question on who to select first in last year’s amateur draft, they considered right-hander Paul Skenes and outfielder Dylan Crews. Both had just led LSU to the College World Series title.

The Pirates decided on Skenes. The Washington Nationals took Crews with the second pick. While both players have already reached the major leagues, the Pirates certainly look like they made the right call.

Skenes is favored to win the National League Rookie of the Year award. He has an 11-3 record and a 1.99 ERA in 22 starts while striking out 167 in 131 innings. Skenes has allowed two runs or fewer in 18 of those 22 starts.

The transition to the big leagues hasn’t been so easy for Crews since he was called up from Triple-A Rochester. Through 27 games, Crews is hitting .190/.252/.314 with three home runs and ten stolen bases.

It is safe to assume that the Pirates do not regret their decision to choose Skenes. However, Skenes believes the Nationals drafted a potential cornerstone player in Crews and that Washington should not be alarmed by his slow start.

“No, not at all, and especially (since) I got a whole year to work with him and most of the offseason, too,” said Skenes, who transferred from the Air Force Academy to LSU prior to the 2023 season. “So, I know who he is as a person and a player. He’s going to do whatever it takes.

“He’s just a pro, and I could see that from the first day that -- I mean I played with him on Team USA for two summers before that. It’s different. It’s just a different person, different worker. Especially being up here and seeing him in a big-league clubhouse, he’s going to be really good just because of how he goes about his business.”

It is probably unfair to compare Skenes and Crews at this stage of their careers. Few rookies perform as well as Skenes, who is having one of the best debut seasons of any pitcher in MLB history.

Most rookies initially struggle in the big leagues. Crews is a case in point.

“There isn’t any level of baseball higher than the big leagues and you’re playing against great players every night.” Crews told Draft Nation. “There are adjustments you have to make. The pitchers are better. The speed of the game is faster. I’m just trying to stay present and learn as much as I can every day.”

Crews played in 100 minor-leagues games combined with Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Rochester this season before his promotion, slashing .270/.342/.451 with 13 home runs and 25 stolen bases.

“He’s a young guy and he’s learning,” Nationals manager Davey Martinez said. “You don’t see many players get called up and immediately tear it up in the big leagues. You can tell he has plenty of talent and he has a good work ethic, too. He has everything it takes to be a special player, and we think he is going to be part of our future. I’m glad we have him.”

It would have been natural for Skenes and Crews to develop a friendly rivalry before last year’s draft over who was going to be picked at No. 1. However, Crews said that wasn’t the case as the duo because the first teammates to be the first two selections since the draft was instituted in 1965.

“We were so focused on winning the national championship that year, we never really talked about it,” Crews said. “When we got drafted, we celebrated, had a little dinner together, had some lunches together. But we were just focused on winning that national championship. We knew we had a special team.”