The Cleveland Guardians have a true gem in outfielder Chase DeLauter. The torrid power pace he showed at the beginning of the season is now gone, as he hasn’t homered in his last six games, since April 3, but during that time, he has given fans a glimpse of his entire skillset.
DeLauter is a disciplined hitter whose walk rate is now up to 10 percent, an above-average number. He has also hit doubles in each of his last two games and has only struck out once in his last three.
As a result, his wRC+ for the season remains excellent at 184 despite not homering since early April. This is a player who will contribute to the team even if he’s not hitting the ball over the fence.
Former Guardians pitcher Jensen Lewis, currently working as an analyst, suggested that it’s going to be harder for pitchers to adjust to Chase DeLauter’s discipline and plate coverage than the other way around.
“He’s shown a penchant for plate discipline thus far,” Lewis said on the BIGPLAY Cleveland Show.
It's going to be harder for the league to adjust to Chase DeLauter than it will be for Chase DeLauter to adjust back. #GuardsBall
"He's shown a pension for plate discipline thus far."
– @JLEWFIFTY pic.twitter.com/SQCpJHF0Ng
— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) April 11, 2026
In the minor leagues, DeLauter put up an impressive .384 on-base percentage. That’s an elite number in any circuit, and he combined that with a .302 batting average and a .504 slugging percentage.
To sum up, DeLauter can do it all at the plate. He can take a walk, he can turn on an inside fastball, he can extend his arm and hit a heater up and away with power, he can hit curveballs, he can mash changeups, and more.
The best part of DeLauter’s plate discipline profile is that he rarely swings at balls out of the zone. Chase just doesn’t chase pitches.
His 22.3 percent chase rate ranks in the 84th percentile, which means that it’s better than 84 percent of his peers. He is not easily fooled.
If health is on his side, then his talent will do the talking. A .300 batting average, 25 home runs, and 30 doubles are all attainable. He could be the Guardians’ next All-Star outfielder, and that’s huge for the franchise.
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