The Cleveland Guardians have a big decision to make about Chase DeLauter.
He looks ahead of the rest of the pack at Triple-A Columbus, but he might be stuck in limbo.
He might be too good to be there, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s ready for the show.
At least, that’s how Guardians reporter Andre Knott feels.
Talking on ESPN Cleveland, the renowned insider argued that it might not be fair to make him the team’s savior.
Even so, while he doesn’t think he’s there quite yet, he still believes DeLauter will get the nod at some point after the All-Star break:
“He’s not built up to play major league baseball yet, he’s getting close. But here’s the other thing, is it fair to bring him up right now and make him the savior? I would think, though, after the All-Star break, he most likely will be on the team,” Knott said of DeLauter.
"He's not built up to play major league baseball yet, he's getting close," – @DreKnott on why the Guardians are waiting to bring up Chase DeLauter. pic.twitter.com/RY3t8ekNah
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) July 7, 2025
DeLauter looks like a superstar in the making.
That doesn’t mean he should be seen as the team’s savior, at least not now.
But if the front office doesn’t plan to bring in more talent or make any big moves, they would essentially be giving up on this season.
As such, there should be no rush or pressure on DeLauter to deliver and single-handedly carry this team to the playoffs.
If anything, this could give him just an opportunity to dip his toes in big league baseball and get some much-needed real-life plate appearances and reps to boost his development.
Granted, that’s a double-edged sword, and we’ve seen seemingly star prospects struggle when their confidence takes a big hit after struggling in the majors.
The Guardians are doing the right thing by being patient with him, but a little push and opportunity could also help.
NEXT: Bruce Drennan Reveals What Guardians Should Do At Trade Deadline
