Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter is on the wild-card roster, giving the 2022 first-round pick a shot at making franchise history.
DeLauter, 23, reached Triple-A this season but has not played in a regular-season game for the Guardians. He would be the first player in franchise history to make his major league debut in the postseason.
DeLauter’s season would likely have ended with him getting the call to Cleveland, but he has missed the past two-plus months following right wrist surgery. He had a 30-game on-base streak in the minor leagues, but the season was impacted by injuries.
This season, he hit .278 with five home runs and 21 RBIs in 34 games at Triple-A Columbus.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said there was no reason not to consider DeLauter, the No. 2 prospect in the organization according to MLB Pipeline.
“Chase was healthy. I mean, he’s the best bat we have available to us, so we thought it’d be a good idea to get him on the roster,” Vogt said Tuesday before Game 1 against the visiting Detroit Tigers in the best-of-three series. “When he walked into the clubhouse, he was like, ‘I’m ready to go.'”
DeLauter has been sidelined since mid-July. Vogt said he was taking regular batting practice in Arizona at the team’s facility while preparing for the fall league.
He was present at the Guardians’ workout on Monday and took batting practice while also walking the outfield with Cleveland’s outfielders coach, J.T. Maguire.
The Guardians selected DeLauter in the first round (16th overall) in the 2022 MLB Draft out of James Madison University.
The minors-to-MLB playoffs jump has been made before, most recently with Twins outfielder Alex Kirilloff, Rays right-hander Shane McClanahan and Padres right-hander Ryan Weathers in 2020.
–Field Level Media
