What Chase DeLauter Needs to Do to Have a Good MLB Regular Season Debut vs. Seattle

It's the season of prospects for the Cleveland Guardians.

For the first time in quite a few years, the Guardians are set to feature a wave of newcomers in both the lineup and on the mound, making this era of Cleveland baseball especially exciting. However, with young players stepping into their first extended stretch of Major League action comes the reality of raw inexperience that will likely show at times.

And one player who is drawing plenty of eyes is outfield prospect Chase DeLauter, who will start in center field on Thursday night.

While many hope to see him immediately light it up on the biggest stage, crushing home runs night in and night out, initial expectations will need to be tempered. Eventually, he'll likely become one of the Guardians' better bats, but out of the gates, he will face bumps in the road.

Outfielding Struggles

Sometimes, some of that big league nervousness can show on the fielding end, when it's just a player and a baseball flying their way.

For DeLauter, consistency will be key. When he made his MLB postseason debut at the end of the 2025 season, he looked good, but he did make an error when a fly ball came his way. He was in the right position and underneath the ball, but right as it came down, it went in and out of his glove.

Forgetting a moment like that is hard, but he had all offseason to set himself up to not have any odd blunders like that again.

He possesses solid athleticism and a strong arm, something that will help out the Guardians greatly in right field, but adjusting to the speed of Major League hitters and the nuances of ballparks could present early challenges. Taking straightforward routes, avoiding overthinking routine plays and trusting the guys that end up playing alongside him out in the opening grass will all be important factors to finding a flow state in his first few games.

Questions at the Plate

Throughout his three campaigns of minor league action, DeLauter slashed .302/.384/.504 for an OPS of .888. He also belted 40 doubles and 20 home runs for 87 total RBI across that amount of time. While on the surface that's an impressive display of success at the plate, there were some small things that DeLauter had to clean up.

The native of Frederick, Md., will look to replicate such efforts at the major league level.

Oftentimes, though, players who thrive in the minors will come into the big leagues and change their approach, mainly due to nerves or thinking they need to adapt to the higher level of pitching.

If he can control the strike zone and avoid changing anything about himself that has worked in the past, the natural hitting ability that led to him being a first-round selection back in 2022 should translate to MLB-level competition.

Putting the Past Behind Him

Fortunately, many of the issues or growing moment's he's had in past seasons seem to be behind him.

In the Guardians' 2026 MLB Spring Training window, he was dominant at the plate, slashing an incredible .459/.535/.838 for an OPS of 1.373. He tacked on five doubles and three home runs for 10 RBI, all while keeping a good eye at the plate and not striking out much. He finished his time in February and March with just four strikeouts but six walks drawn.

If that's any sign for what's to come, the Guardians' outfield will be in good hands.

In all honesty, outside of his fielding blunder from late 2025, everything is pointing towards him being a generational talent i f he can stay healthy.