BY DAN GLICKMAN
Two of baseball’s best prospects are on the Rochester Red Wings, according to the latest rankings from MLB Pipeline released on Wednesday.
Outfielder Dylan Crews is the third-best prospect in baseball according to the list, and the highest who isn’t currently in the big leagues. Only the Baltimore Orioles’ Jackson Holiday and Milwaukee Brewers’ Junior Caminero rate above him. This is the highest Crews has ever been ranked by MLB.com, and his first time as the top prospect in the Nationals’ system, having previously been behind former Red Wing James Wood. MLB also lists Crews as having the best hitting and power abilities, or “tools” in the system.
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Crews is joined on the list by third baseman Brady House, ranked the 69th best prospect in baseball and second-best in the Nationals system. Another Nationals prospect, right-handed pitcher Travis Sykora, is the No. 100 prospect in baseball, but currently is in A-ball and is unlikely to become a Red Wing this season.
Although not rated in the top 100, three more Red Wings were named to Washington’s top 30 prospects list: righty reliever Zach Brzykcy (22), and right-handed starter Jackson Rutledge (27), and Brad Lord (30). Other players like hard-throwing starting pitcher Cade Cavalli (8, currently rehabbing in high-A) and reliever Orlando Ribalta (29, recently called up to Washington) have also seen action with the Red Wings.
MLB Pipeline rates Lord as having the best control in the Nationals organization, while rating Cavalli’s curveball the best among Washington prospects.
Even if some of the current top prospects get called up, Red Wings fans will likely continue to see some of Washington’s best farmhands at work: eight of the 30 top prospects for the Nationals are playing for AA Harrisburg, including first baseman Yohandy Morales (9), third baseman Cayden Wallace (11), outfielder Daylen Lile (12), right-hander Andry Lara (17), and relief man Marquis Grissom Jr. (26)- the son of the longtime former major league outfielder of the same name. Wallace has best fielding arm among Washington prospects according to MLB, while Grissom’s changeup earned plaudits as the best in the system.
The Red Wings- including Crews and House- continue their series with the Syracuse Mets on Thursday, Aug. 15, at 6:45 P.M.
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