The Cleveland Guardians have placed all their hopes and dreams in young outfield prospect Chase DeLauter. After making a brief postseason appearance last year, he is ready to take over as the team’s right fielder.
Injuries have slowed down DeLauter’s development up until this point, but he’s not only healthy, but he is also playing like a guy who is seizing the moment and leaving no doubt that he deserves to be a regular in Cleveland.
On Tuesday, the sweet-swinging lefty had another good game, going 1-for-3 with a double and leaving his spring training stat line at a solid .393/.433/.643. Despite being limited with lower-body soreness early in camp, DeLauter seems to be in fine form.
The double was proof of just how hard DeLauter can hit a baseball. It left his bat at 115.3 mph and had an expected batting average of .720.
“Behold, the Guardians’ hardest-hit ball this spring: Chase DeLauter smacking a 115.3 mph double,” team insider Tim Stebbins posted on X.
Behold, the Guardians’ hardest-hit ball this spring: Chase DeLauter smacking a 115.3 mph double. pic.twitter.com/3aReBNWeOR
— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) March 18, 2026
No one has hit a ball harder than DeLauter’s double in spring training for the Guardians, and that’s impressive. However, it’s not about who sends balls the furthest; it’s about doing it consistently.
Baseball is full of underachievers who could approach a peak exit velocity of 120 mph. With DeLauter, however, the team is confident he can be a solid regular because of his short, compact swing and his plate discipline.
DeLauter knows how to work a count and hunt for a pitch that’s convenient for him. He has an idea of what to do at the plate, and his .888 career OPS in the minor leagues proves it. He walks, he avoids strikeouts, and he hits the ball hard consistently.
Even while navigating through some painful injuries, the talented 24-year-old managed to post a 128 wRC+ between a short rehab stint at the Complex League and Triple-A Columbus, in 42 games.
Granted, he is not the best bet to stay healthy for the entire season, but you can be sure DeLauter will be productive as long as he is on the field.
Some have tabbed his ceiling as the second-best hitter in the Guardians’ lineup, behind Jose Ramirez, of course. That’s not too shabby.
If DeLauter manages to accumulate 450 at-bats this year, 20 homers aren’t out of the question for him.
NEXT: Guardians May Have Tough Lineup Decision
