For those who are out of the running for a fantasy baseball title in 2023, it’s not too early start to start thinking about next season. Rookies can be difference makers in fantasy. Just think about guys like Josh Jung and Eury Perez, two kids that were available in many leagues to start, but weren’t for very long. If you’re on the lookout for potential 2024 MLB rookies to help out in fantasy, the conversation starts with Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes.

Related: What to Expect from Yankees Outfielder Everson Pereira

A Look at Crews

In the past decade, the Nationals had two franchise outfielders in Bryce Harper and Juan Soto dominate the Majors while they were in D.C. Now, the Nats appear to have their next franchise player in Dylan Crews.

The second overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and 2023 Golden Spikes winner, Crews dominated at LSU and then proceeded to crush pitching in Fredericksburg (A). After a campaign that saw him hit .426 with 18 home runs and 36 extra base hits with the Tigers, Crews hit .385 with five home runs, nine extra base hits, and 24 RBI across 14 games.

The 21-year-old proved to be too much in A ball, thanks to his athleticism, bat-to-ball skills, and power. The question now becomes this: how long will it take for Crews to join Lane Thomas, CJ Abrams, and Joey Meneses in the Nationals lineup?

A Look at Skenes

If the Pirates wanted to, Paul Skenes could conceivably be in the Majors today. The 21-year-old already owns two plus-plus pitches in an incredibly hard triple-digit fastball and a wipeout slider, both of which could make him an elite weapon in the bullpen now. However, there’s no reason for the Pirates to throw Skenes out of the ‘pen this season with nothing on the line.

Like Crews, Skenes did very well in A ball. With Bradenton (A), Skenes struck out five over four scoreless innings (3 G). In his final start with Bradenton, Skenes averaged out at 98 MPH — about what he sat at in his final start with LSU against Wake Forest — with the four-seamer and sinker and picked up three whiffs on five swings off the changeup.

Aside from Mitch Keller, the Pirates do have a number of young starters both at the MLB level and the Minors that could prove to be reliable arms moving forward, like Quinn Priester, Johan Oviedo, and Anthony Solometo. None, however, have the potential that Skenes – who profiles as a dominant, perennial All-Star starter — boasts.

Fantasy Outlooks

Crews and Skenes entered the 2023 MLB Draft as two of the most polished players available.

Granted, neither of the two will be the first player from the MLB Draft up to The Show — that honor went to Angels 1B Nolan Schanuel when he was called up in August 2023. Nonetheless, the former teammates are very close to the Majors.

Now, both may not start the 2024 season up in the Majors. As a matter of fact, it’s wise to expect both to begin next year either back in AA or in AAA.

But come May or June 2024, Nationals and Pirates fans just might get their first looks at the future — and fantasy players will need to watch their progression in the spring very carefully. Both could be impact players right away.