Why Chase DeLauter is primed for a big 2026 season for the Guardians

Chase DeLauter's name, over the past few seasons, has drawn instant excitement from Cleveland Guardians fans.

And after months of calling for him to get a big-league shot in 2025, DeLauter finally got his chance.

On Sept. 30, he was added to the major league roster for the wild-card series against the Detroit Tigers. The hope was that the youthful energy he's got, combined with the momentum the Guardians had entering the postseason, was that somehow, someway the team could piece together a decent run.

However, while DeLauter did play well, the Guardians were knocked out in three games.

But his composure and control on the biggest stage showed that the 24-year-old was ready to answer the call. Manager Stephen Vogt said that when he walked into the clubhouse after being called up, DeLauter had an infectious demeanor, and that his mindset wasn't too big for the moment.

“Making his debut in the postseason, obviously, it's unique,” Vogt said. “I think knowing that he can handle playing in the postseason, he's going to be able to handle playing in the regular season.”

Now, with a full offseason to get up to speed and adapt to the high-level of play at the major league level.

“It was great to get his feet wet,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said at the MLB Winter Meetings. “It was great for him to [learn], ‘All right, now I know what it smells like on the highest stage. I know what it looks like. I know what it feels like.’

“And so for him, having a full winter of wanting that and knowing what it looks like, knowing what it feels like, I think that could be a huge boost for him going into this year.”

In Triple-A ball, he was incredibly consistent. The thing that made him so effective was his ability to strike extra-base hits and keep a keen eye at the plate. Of prospects in Triple-A with a minimum of 100 plate appearances that had a 75%+ Contact and 50%+ Hard-Hit rate in 2025, DeLauter ranked first with clips of 81.1% Contact and 51.9% Hard-Hit rate.

He ended 2025 with a slashing line of .278/.383/.476 with eight doubles, one triple and five home runs in minor league ball. While he was dealing with injuries, he maintained his spot as a reliable player who could get on base, at one point in time extending an on-base streak well beyond 20 games straight.

That consistency over the course of season at the step below the majors is enough to give him a chance at a real role in the majors.

Chase is back on base!

DeLauter now has a 2⃣4⃣ game on-base streak and a 1⃣2⃣ game hit streak 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pJPle2xoEx
— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) June 28, 2025

He's currently ranked as the No. 2 prospect in Cleveland's organization, behind the No. 1 overall selection back in the 2024 MLB Draft, Travis Bazzana, and also the No. 58 prospect in baseball.

Having DeLauter up to the major league roster for 2026 would not only draw some interest to the team again, but would also take some of the weight off Steven Kwan in left field. He practically carried the team through the strugglesome platoon that was beside him. In 2025, the average level of production from those the Guardians slotted in center field was .574 OPS and .605 from those in right field.

DeLauter is an unknown, but his ceiling is certainly worth testing what he can do for the team with regular attention and time in the 2026 season.

He's currently projected to end up as the Guardians option in either center or right field for the 2026 Opening Day roster. While it's uncertain if that will end up being the case, he'll have the perfect opportunity to show what he's worth in Spring Training.

The Guardians' first game will come on Saturday, Feb. 21, against the Cincinnati Reds with the opening pitch slated for 3:05 p.m. EST.