ARM & HAMMER

Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes are the top prospects in this year's draft. The LSU teammates have a chance to make history if they are selected first and second overall.

- CARLOS COLLAZO

Jay Johnson's first impression of both Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes was strikingly similar to how 28 big league teams will feel on draft day: admiration from afar with little to no chance of seeing them play for his team.

Back when he was the head coach for Arizona, Johnson distinctly remembers how struck he was by the talent of both players.

For Crews, the famous prep outfield prospect who was a mainstay with USA Baseball's national teams and consistently regarded as one of the most talented players in his class, it was during the 15U USA Baseball roster trials.

"When I saw him I was like, 'Man, that is a real player, "Johnson said. "You could see the talent, but he was so far advanced (in terms of) actually knowing how to play the game (compared) to the normal 15-year-old. It was like Nick Madrigal's instincts and how he moved but with more explosive and athletic talent, if you will."

Johnson would have loved to recruit Crews to Arizona, but Crews announced his commitment to Paul Mainieri's Louisiana State program around the time of the 15U trials.

Skenes wasn't as highly regarded as Crews as a high schooler, but Johnson still remembers being blown away with his talent-but it was his hitting ability that caught his eye at the time.

"I remember seeing him hit in high school on the circuit-Area Codes or something like that and then he was committed to Air Force and I was like, 'Gosh, this has to be one of the best players Air Force has ever signed." " Both Crews and Skenes were members of the 2020 high school class, which meant their senior spring seasons were cut dramatically short and both had to contend with a five-round draft.