MLB-Pro.com | MLB Pro Staff
CHICAGO — Long before Dylan Crews was electrifying Wrigley Field with blistered doubles into the right-center gap and jaw-dropping first steps in left field, he was just a Florida kid with clay-caked cleats and a glove that barely left his side.
“Even when we had optional practices,” says Kevin Foss, his high school coach at Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, “he was already on the field when I pulled in. Always was. First to arrive, last to leave — and he never coasted.”
That’s the Crews creed. Not flashy, not performative — just relentless.
Crews grew up about a half hour north of West Palm Beach, raised in a working-class home that prioritized effort over ego. His father worked in construction, his mother ran a small design business. “You do the job right, or you do it again,” Dylan recalls being told more than once. That mindset? It’s still with him.
“He always brought his lunch pail,” says Jaylen Morales, Crews’ childhood friend and teammate at Benjamin. “There were dudes on that team with louder tools, but nobody outworked Dylan. Nobody.”
The Benjamin Grind
At Benjamin High, a private school known more for academic excellence than churning out pro athletes, Crews was different. He turned heads from his freshman year, not because of gaudy stats — though he had those too — but because of how he carried himself. While others were throwing bat flips on JV, Crews was fielding fungos like it was Game 7.
“He treated every rep like it mattered,” says Laura Cheng, a history teacher at Benjamin. “He’d be the kid wiping chalk off the board after class. Never sought attention. Just took care of business.”
By his junior year, he was batting .488 with power to all fields and a glove that had scouts booking red-eyes to Palm Beach International. But even then, his dream wasn’t spotlight-driven.
“I wanted to be the guy a team could build around,” Crews told MLB-Pro this spring. “Not the loudest guy. The dependable guy.”
Chicago’s Kind of Guy
Now 23, Crews finds himself in a Cubs clubhouse packed with youth and promise, yet it’s his approach — not just his stats — that’s making waves.
“He’s a blue-collar baller,” said Cubs bench coach Torii Hunter. “He plays the game like a guy who knows nothing is guaranteed. That’s rare.”
Crews might be from the coast, but he’s built for the Midwest heart of Wrigleyville. The kind of player who leaves grass stains on his socks and gum wrappers in his back pocket because he’s too focused on the next pitch to notice. The kind of guy who takes early BP even after a 3-for-4 night.
“He don’t big-league nobody,” said outfielder Spencer Jones. “You could be a rookie or a vet, Dylan’s talking to you the same way. Just humble and wired for the grind.”
A Star Who Doesn’t Want to Be One — But Might Be Anyway
That’s the thing about Crews. He doesn’t chase stardom. He chases moments — a tough AB with a runner on third, a tricky route in the wind, a cutoff throw with a runner testing his arm. And in the chasing, he’s becoming the kind of star Chicago hasn’t seen since the Bryant-Rizzo days — but molded entirely different.
“Dylan’s not the kind of player you market with fireworks,” said Chip Hale. “He’s the kind you market with a hard hat and a highlight reel. And by October? Everyone’s gonna know.”
The Cubs’ 23-year-old rookie phenom is no longer just the future — he’s the present, and his bat is announcing that loud and clear. Through his first month and change in the majors, Crews is slashing .276/.369/.713 with a staggering 1.082 OPS, 12 home runs, and 31 RBIs in just 87 at-bats. He’s not just hitting. He’s crushing. And doing it with poise that belies his youth.
Hot Out the Gate
While Crews started cold in March (.125 AVG), he erupted in April. His .310 batting average, 12 homers, and 1.245 OPS in the month made him one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball — rookie or not. In a loaded class, Crews has planted an early flag in the NL Rookie of the Year race.
“He’s got that SEC toughness, but he’s built for Wrigley,” manager Chip Hale said. “He’s not afraid of the moment. In fact, I think he looks for it.”
The Cubs have been starving for a middle-of-the-order star to anchor the next great Wrigley core. So far, Crews — already toggling between the 3rd and 4th spot in the lineup — is doing just that. When batting cleanup, he’s a monster: .290/.389/.968 with a jaw-dropping 1.357 OPS and 7 home runs.
Crews is doing damage when it matters most. He’s batting .321 with runners in scoring position and has already driven in 20 runs in those situations. With two outs, he’s hitting .281 with 4 home runs and 12 RBIs. Even in high leverage spots, his OPS sits over 1.000.
“He’s been our answer when we need one,” said bench coach Torii Hunter, who knows a thing or two about hitting under pressure. “It’s rare to see a kid this advanced in those moments.”
And the power? It’s not just pull-side juice. His homers are going to all fields — and often flying out of the ballpark. His .845 slugging percentage in April ranked among the league leaders. Pitchers have tried to beat him with heat, spin, off-speed, up, down — nothing is consistently working.
A Front Office Win
Behind every star rookie is a front office willing to take the leap. For GM Justin Jabs and Assistant GM Reed Johnson, Crews’ success is vindication. It’s the culmination of a development plan that accelerated once it was clear the bat was simply too good to hold down.
“We knew the bat would play,” Jabs said. “What’s surprised even us is how quickly he’s adjusted to major league pitching. He’s already setting the tone for our entire offense.”
It’s not just the production — it’s the presence. Crews brings edge, charisma, and the kind of swagger that makes fans believe again. He’s already drawn comparisons to young Bryce Harper or Ronald Acuña Jr., but his demeanor leans more toward the calm intensity of Mike Trout.
In a clubhouse blending young talent and veteran mentors, Crews is rapidly becoming a focal point. “He plays like he’s been here five years,” said manager Chip Hale. “And he’s only getting started.”
For a franchise that hasn’t posted a winning record since 2015 and has endured four straight 100-loss seasons, Dylan Crews has quickly become more than just a spark—he’s ignited belief.
Through the first month of the 2025 campaign, Crews has injected life into Wrigleyville, delivering clutch hits, electric baserunning, and leadership well beyond his rookie status. The Cubs, after years in the wilderness, now sit just half a game out of first place in the NL Central with an 18–12 record. The energy at Wrigley Field feels different—buzzing, hopeful, and loud again. “Dylan Crews is the kind of player you build around, and we’re watching that process unfold in real time,” said GM Justin Jabs. “We didn’t just draft a hitter—we drafted a mindset. He’s raised the expectations in this clubhouse.”
The numbers back it up, but it’s the way Crews plays—fearless in the box, relentless on the basepaths, and composed under pressure—that’s shifting the culture. “I can’t remember the last time I was this excited to watch a Cubs game every night,” said Emily Gonzalez, a longtime season ticket holder from Lakeview. “Crews makes you believe something special is finally happening here.”