Chase DeLauter Opens Up About His Unorthodox MLB Debut With Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians had a plethora of young players called up during the 2025 regular season, with more call-ups on the horizon.

Center fielder Chase DeLauter may have been the most anticipated call-up of the bunch, as he was Cleveland’s top draft pick at 16th overall back in the 2022 MLB Draft. Injuries prolonged his inevitable debut, as he spent more time in the minor leagues with their Triple-A club, Columbus Clippers.

DeLauter, Cleveland’s number two overall prospect, put together an impressive season with the Clippers, which earned DeLauter his long-awaited call-up. On top of that, what better time to showcase his potential than in the Wild Card Series against a tough division foe in the Detroit Tigers.

DeLauter recently spoke with MLB Network about his October activation, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look.

Chase DeLauter spoke to MLB Network on making his debut in October: #GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/xt3sFQihQL
— SleeperGuardians (@SleeperGuards) January 26, 2026

He described the week leading to his debut.

"It was an interesting process," DeLauter said. "I was in Arizona preparing for the Fall League. Then the Friday before the playoff series started, I got a call from James Harris inviting me to Columbus to take some live at-bats."

“From there, I moved up to practice on Monday. Before practice, they called me in and told me I would be activated,” DeLauter shared. “I was just going with the flow; I had no idea.”

DeLauter talked about not knowing his call-up was imminent even the Thursday before Cleveland decided it was time to call him up. This led to his comments regarding where his mindset was after talking with manager Stephen Vogt heading into his MLB debut.

He mentions “enjoying the game” and “going out there with no pressure.” DeLauter hadn’t played in almost two months of real live action as he worked back from his wrist injury.

MLB Network asked about his debut day, when sunshine finally broke through Cleveland's dreary weather. DeLauter managed his first outfield pop fly—though he dropped it.

"It was like getting punched in the chest by 50,000 people," he said. "It was not a fun moment, but it really helped calm me the rest of the game. There was a part of me that wanted off the field and a part that wanted another chance the very next pitch."

DeLauter appears poised for a bigger role with the Guardians in 2026.

His postseason debut set the stage for a potential starting job in center field, and a full offseason with the organization should serve him well as he prepares for his first real look at MLB live action.