It took a little while, but Jace LaViolette just reminded everyone why the Cleveland Guardians were thrilled to land him in the first round.
The 22-year-old outfielder slugged his first professional home run on Sunday, a moment the organization had been waiting on since selecting him 27th overall in the 2025 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Texas A&M.
“Guardians 2025 1st round pick Jace LaViolette hits his first career professional home run,” GuardsInsider posted.
Jace LaViolette SMASHED this one!
His first homer of the season is a 3-run bomb🤯 @LCCaptains pic.twitter.com/aPx0Xfa8nP
— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) April 12, 2026
LaViolette never played a professional game in 2025 after being selected, spending the summer and fall recovering from a hand injury that required surgery following the SEC Tournament. He then made a brief but memorable appearance during spring training this year, clobbering a 425-foot solo home run off a 96.9 mph fastball in just his third Cactus League at bat.
The numbers from his college career at Texas A&M tell you everything you need to know about what this kid is capable of. Over three seasons with the Aggies, LaViolette slashed .285/.432/.651 with a 1.083 OPS, belting 68 home runs and drawing 169 walks. That walk total was a program record.
His spring training stat line also showed promise. In three Cactus League games, he slashed .500 with a 1.500 OPS, giving the organization a clear glimpse of what the ceiling looks like when he is right.
The organization has been patient with his development, understanding that a player who missed essentially all of 2025 due to injury was going to need time to find his rhythm against professional pitching.
The Guardians have a long history of developing outfield talent, and their farm system remains one of the most respected in baseball. LaViolette has the raw tools to eventually be a big part of what this organization builds toward over the next several years.
One swing. One milestone. And the beginning of what Cleveland fans hope will be a very long story.
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