The 2024 edition of the Arizona Fall League (AFL) is already underway.
The Cleveland Guardians sent multiple players and prospects there, hoping to get them some extra playing time that aids their development.
Among the players they sent to Arizona are Kody Huff, Milan Tolentino, Alaska Abney, Dylan DeLucia, Allan Hernandez, Zak Kent, Andrew Misiaszek, and of course, the best of the bunch: outfielder Chase DeLauter.
A former first-round pick, DeLauter has suffered multiple injury issues with his left foot and a strained right hamstring.
If it wasn’t for the time he missed with those ailments, we could have seen him mashing for the Guards in the postseason.
Instead, he finished the year in Triple-A, which puts him in position to make his MLB debut at some point next year.
“I think if I’m fully healthy, the sky’s the limit.” Chase DeLauter leads the crop of @CleGuardians in the Arizona Fall League as he prepares to make a push for the bigs next season,” MLB Pipeline posted on X.
"I think if I'm fully healthy, the sky's the limit."
Chase DeLauter leads the crop of @CleGuardians in the Arizona Fall League as he prepares to make a push for the bigs next season: https://t.co/zDeXlgiVY8 pic.twitter.com/1yOhBIT5IF
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 21, 2024
As you can see, DeLauter is very confident in his abilities.
Despite the continued issues with his foot, he has been magnificent in the box as a pro, batting .317/.387/.517 with 13 homers in 96 contests.
He has a contact-oriented approach and the raw power to think he could be a .300-20 hitter at some point in the not-so distant future.
He also knows how to take an at-bat and work the count to wait for his pitch.
The time he spends in the AFL is excellent for him to accumulate more reps, but the trust is that he is very close to being MLB-ready.
NEXT: Guardians Young Middle Infielder Might Have Earned A Longer Leash With Strong Postseason
