DeLauter working hard this fall to be 'next guy up' for Guardians

GLENDALE, Ariz. – On March 18, Chase DeLauter strode into the batter’s box at a sun-splashed Camelback Ranch for his first at-bat of the game in the top of the first inning. He promptly demolished a home run to right-center field off then-Top 100 prospect Drew Thorpe, who went on to make his Major League debut this summer for the White Sox.

Fast-forward to Wednesday afternoon in Surprise's 13-11 win over Glendale at Camelback Ranch. DeLauter was in the exact same scenario, just with an 18-degree change in first-pitch temperature. The result was the same: a resounding clout way to right-center that checked in at 425 feet and 109 mph off the bat.

While jogging around the bases during that mid-March homer, DeLauter was arguably the hottest hitter in the Cactus League. He wasn’t an official big league Spring Training invitee, but he perpetually mashed against every pitcher put in front of him, no matter the level. When he went deep again March 19, he wrapped up his first Guardians spring stint with a gaudy .520/.600/1.040 slash line with four home runs, 10 RBIs and 26 total bases in 13 games.

“I really think it was just a great situation for me,” DeLauter said. “I was playing real comfortable, real loose. I was somewhat a part of big league camp but not really. So I was kind of just playing with an underdog mentality and I don't know, I got into a groove and every hitter knows, once you hit one or two that feel real good, they come in bunches.”

Breaking camp on the Major League roster this year was never truly on the radar, but the fact he made it a conversation at all when he had only reached Double-A and gotten 22 at-bats there in 2023 was a testament to his skill set.

“I knew I wasn't gonna break [camp] with the team or anything crazy like that,” DeLauter said. “But I thought it might have helped put me on the radar that, ‘Hey, you know, if I stay healthy’ -- which didn't happen to be the case this season -- I was thinking ‘next guy up’ mentality.”

Forget knocking on the big league door, DeLauter was pounding on it. But after 16 games with Double-A Akron to begin the year, his surgically repaired left foot was sore. Days later, it was confirmed to be broken for a second time since he was selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2022 Draft. He wound up missing a month before returning -- for one at-bat before knowing something wasn’t right. By the time he was cleared again, it was late July.

But when on the field, there are few young talents who can match DeLauter’s all-around package: with each of his tool grades coming in at least 55 or higher, he is one of only four prospects on the Top 100 list with that distinction (MLB's No. 1 prospect Dylan Crews, Twins' No. 1 prospect Walker Jenkins and D-backs' No. 1 prospect Jordan Lawlar being the others).

In order to stay on the field, the 23-year-old has been paying more attention to his down time. The left-handed-hitting outfielder isn't playing in as many games during his second AFL stint as a means of preserving his body ahead of a crucial 2025. He spends his off days at the club’s complex in Goodyear working in the weight room with Guardians staff.

Through his first two Fall League games, DeLauter put four balls in play that registered as hard hit (excess of 95+ mph), yet just one was a hit.

His first two at-bats Wednesday resulted in 109 and 105.1 mph base knocks, surpassing his two highest-recorded hits from his go-round on the fall circuit last year. His hardest-hit ball in a late-season six-game stint with Triple-A Columbus was a home run that went out at 103 m

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A year ago, DeLauter and Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo combined to make up a formidable duo during the Fall League. Manzardo went on to make his MLB debut and collect a bevy of firsts this summer while playing a role during the club’s ride to the American League Championship Series.

“I mean, it gets you really excited for what's next with myself and also the organization itself,” DeLauter said of watching the big league club. “We got a lot of young guys that are already … up there. So I think the future looks really good for that team, for our organization. And what they're doing, it's exciting.”