The Cleveland Guardians’ unorthodox approach to Chase DeLauter turned plenty of heads this season. Just when it seemed like the fans would have to wait until 2026 to watch the young star take the field, Stephen Vogt called him up to make his MLB debut in the playoffs.
DeLauter didn’t get that many opportunities, and his first taste of MLB action was a bit of a mixed bag. Even so, he showed glimpses of what he’s capable of, and the fact that the Guardians called him up at such a crucial time speaks volumes about the way they feel about him.
With that in mind, MLB insider Zack Meisel reported the team’s plans for their superstar prospect. Unsurprisingly, they want him to make the Opening Day roster:
“You know, just casually going about at the beginning of your offseason and then, ‘Hey, why don’t you make your debut in a playoff elimination game?’ I guess if [Chase DeLauter] can handle that, you can handle April and May in Cleveland, Kansas City, or Detroit. They would love if he can make the opening day roster. They don’t want to bank on him playing 150 games, but there’s going to be an influx of young hitting talent. They have hitters on the cusp, it’s just how much you want to lean on those young, unproven guys versus going out and getting someone who is more established,” Meisel said.
"There's going to be an influx of young hitting talent."@ZackMeisel discusses how the Guardians plan to utilize Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter in 2026, plus their future plans for Steven Kwan. pic.twitter.com/Q3ZTGg0Up0
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 15, 2025
DeLauter is as gifted as they come. He’s dominated at every single level of baseball he’s played in his career, and you can tell that the game just comes naturally to him. He has the physical tools to be a complete and dominant slugger in the pros as well.
However, there are going to be some concerns about him for a very long time. He’s never been able to stay healthy, and he’s dealt with multiple ailments throughout the course of his young career.
The Guardians will do the right thing by taking things slowly with him and not making him an everyday player at first. But if this gamble pays off, he could be one of the faces of the league in no time.
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