Guardians Select Power-Hitting Outfielder In First Round of MLB Draft

The first pick the Cleveland Guardians made in the 2025 MLB Draft addressed a major area of need throughout the organization.

With the No. 27 overall pick in the draft, the Guardians select OF Jace LaViolette.

The Texas A&M product is known for one key skillset: power. During his third season with the Aggies, he finished with a slash line of .258/.427/.576 with an OPS of 1.003, including 18 home runs and nine doubles.

The Cleveland Guardians selected OF Jace LaViolette with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.#GuardsBall | #Guardians pic.twitter.com/5zhuV409DK
— Cleveland Guardians On SI (@GuardiansOnSI) July 14, 2025

A power-hitting outfielder is exactly what the Guardians' big league roster is missing, and outside of Chase DeLauter and C.J. Kayfus (who's played 31 games in the outfield this season), there aren't many other prospects in Cleveland's farm system that fit this skillset.

MLB.com's draft profile for LaViolette noted he possesses "as much raw power as anyone in the Draft, LaViolette is built to crush balls with a quick left-handed stroke, the strength and leverage in his impressive 6-foot-6 frame and a focus on launching pitches to his pull side."

That said, the scouting report also pointed out he "makes quality swing decisions but the lone flaw in his offensive game does scare some teams. He frequently swings and misses within the strike zone, even on fastballs, leading to a .258 average with a 25 percent strikeout rate as a junior."

There will always be concerns about swing-and-miss rates with players who hit for power, which is prevalent in the minor leagues and persists at the big league level.

The potential is undeniably there, but the question for LaViolette throughout his development will be whether he can generate more contact.

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