The Cleveland Guardians made a surprising decision in this year’s MLB Draft.
They took Jace LaViolette, a big swing for the fences, both literally and figuratively.
However, as gifted as he is as a slugger, that’s not what he likes the most about his game.
When asked about that, the Texas A&M product actually talked about the other side of his game:
“I would first talk about my defense before anything else,” LaViolette said. “I pride myself on any ball that’s hit out there, just don’t let it touch the grass. That’s how I talk about it, and then obviously I like to hit the ball a long way.
Not so long ago, LaViolette was in the mix to be the first player off the board.
He’s a 6-foot-6, 230-pound left-handed physical specimen who draws comparisons to Aaron Judge because of his imposing physique and natural power.
He can be a staple for the Guardians organization if he turns out to be as good as expected.
Nevertheless, there were some major concerns about his strikeout rate.
He has a worrisome tendency to chase pitches and get behind in counts.
To add insult to injury, literally, he sustained a hand injury that will most likely keep him on the shelf for the entirety of this season, thus delaying his debut to 2026.
Even so, he has the potential to be the team’s center fielder of the future.
He left College Station with school records in home runs (68) and walks (169) in just three seasons, and he led his school to the College World Series final with 29 home runs in 2024.
He was a bit of a gamble, but if someone was worth rolling the dice on, it was definitely the 6-foot-6 specimen with an absolute cannon for an arm.
NEXT: Guardians Top Prospect Carries Hot Bat To Triple-A Columbus
