Chase DeLauter is about to do something you don’t see every day in Major League Baseball: make his second debut.
Last October, the Cleveland Guardians called up the 2022 first-round pick for the AL Wild Card series, tossing him straight into the fire of postseason baseball before he’d ever played a regular-season game. That’s not just rare - it’s practically unheard of. And now, after a long road back from injury, DeLauter is on track to break camp with the big-league club and make his long-awaited regular-season debut, possibly as early as Opening Day.
For Guardians fans - and really, for anyone tracking the next wave of MLB talent - this is one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the 2026 season.
DeLauter’s path to this moment hasn’t exactly been smooth. After being taken in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft, the left-handed outfielder showcased a tantalizing mix of power and plate discipline in the minors.
In 138 minor-league games, he slashed .302/.384/.504 with 20 home runs, 70 walks, and 80 strikeouts - the kind of balanced production that gets front offices excited. But here’s the catch: only 81 of those games came over the last two seasons, thanks to a pair of surgeries that derailed his development timeline.
The first came before the 2025 season even began - a core muscle injury that required surgery and kept him off the field. Then, just as he was working his way back into form, he fractured the hamate bone in his right hand in late July, requiring another procedure. That’s a tough hand (literally and figuratively) for any young player trying to build momentum.
And yet, despite the setbacks, Cleveland still believed in his talent enough to bring him up for October. DeLauter only logged six at-bats in the Wild Card series loss to the Tigers, notching a single hit.
But what stood out wasn’t the stat line - it was the way he handled the moment. Manager Stephen Vogt came away impressed with how the 22-year-old carried himself on the postseason stage, especially considering the layoff and the stakes.
Now, the runway is clear. DeLauter is healthy, the opportunity is there, and the Guardians are ready to see what he can do over the course of a full season.
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez recently named him Cleveland’s “player to watch” for 2026, and it’s not hard to see why. ESPN prospect guru Kiley McDaniel has DeLauter ranked No. 43 overall, and scouts see a player with 30-homer upside who can hit for average and play quality outfield defense.
The Guardians are betting big on internal growth this year. They didn’t make any splashy moves to upgrade the offense this offseason, which means they’re leaning heavily on their young core to step up.
That includes DeLauter, of course, but also infielder Travis Bazzana - the No. 1 overall pick from the 2024 draft - as well as fellow rookies C.J. Kayfus and George Valera.
If this youth movement clicks, Cleveland could have one of the more exciting homegrown lineups in the league.
As for where DeLauter fits in, the early projections have him penciled into right field and hitting second in the order - a prime spot for someone with his on-base skills and power potential. Other lineup models have him in center field, which speaks to his athleticism and versatility.
No matter where he lines up, one thing is clear: the Guardians are ready to see what Chase DeLauter can do over 162 games. And if he stays healthy, the rest of the league might be about to find out just how dangerous he can be.