'He's Out For More': Guardians Rookie Chase DeLauter is Just Scratching the Surface
The Guardians knight helmet, a purchase made by pitcher Tanner Bibee during a team bonding trip to Medieval Times, has turned into a celebratory prop in the dugout. It is worn by any Cleveland batter who hits a home run. Through the teams first three games, however, only one player had the honor of getting the silver helmet ceremoniously placed atop his head again and again and again and again. Last weekend, rookie Chase DeLauter joined Trevor Story as the only two players in Major League Baseball history to launch four home runs through their first three career regular-season games. By the sixth game of the Guardians season, DeLauter was still the only Cleveland player who had gone deep, so Austin Hedges and other veterans on the team began referring to their medieval headgear by a different moniker: "Chases homer helmet." "Its just such a cool feeling," DeLauter told me at Dodgers Stadium earlier this week during the Guardians' three-game series in Los Angeles. "Being one of the younger guys on the team and looking up to guys that have been here for a while and future Hall of Famers, its a cool feeling to just feel like youre a part of that." DeLauter, who was named AL Player of the Week, has been much more than a supporting member of the Guardians lineup through the seasons first days; hes the starring attraction. The 24-year-old outfielder has produced a 1.122 OPS through his first six games and made believers of everyone in the clubhouse, including a team leader in Hedges who just celebrated his 10th year of MLB service time. "Twelve years ago, I think everyone saw Jos Ramrez walk into a room and was like, That guys got something," Hedges told me. "Chase has something. Hes got something very special and were not even scratching the surface of what this kids capable of." A Sense of Belonging Last year, the Guardians made a furious late-season comeback and won the AL Central for the second straight year despite an offense that ranked last in OPS in the American League. This winter, they added veteran slugger Rhys Hoskins on a minor-league deal but did nothing else to try to fix their offensive shortcomings. Improvements would have to come from within. At some point this year, 2024 top overall draft pick Travis Bazzana is expected to make his debut. As the first Australian-born player to get selected in the first round, Bazzana created buzz in Triple-A last season after having an .858 OPS in 26 games while also belting a home run for his country at the World Baseball Classic in March. - Who is Travis Bazzana? Australian Prospect Talks Sydney and Sushi Already, though, another top prospect and former first-round selection is making his presence felt. Coming off three injury-shortened minor-league campaigns and a playoff cameo, DeLauter is seizing his opportunity after breaking camp with the big-league club. "Even talking to him about his phone blowing up and all these people contacting him, I just love how hes going about it," outfielder Steven Kwan told me. "He sets his boundaries, he knows his circle, he knows his people who are important to him. Hes not going out doing all these interviews and podcasts and clout-chasing stuff. Hes here to play baseball." The first week of DeLauters regular-season MLB career began with two homers on Opening Day including a first-inning blast off Mariners ace Logan Gilbert in his first career regular-season plate appearance and ended with the Guardians rookie leading all of MLB in home runs. Its important to specify "regular season," because Opening Day was not DeLauters first time roaming the Guardians outfield. DeLauter made his first big-league start last October in Game 2 of the Guardians wild-card series against Detroit, when he became just the sixth player ever to debut in a postseason game. The decision was even more surprising considering he hadnt played in a professional game in nearly three months after undergoing surgery to repair a hamate fracture and had only played in 138 games over three minor-league seasons following a litany of injuries. But Clevelands front office believed in his ability to handle the enormity of the moment and, more importantly, the upside of his talent. "I think through the obstacles and challenges and lost time, I think he learned a ton about himself and developed those routines that are now allowing him to do what hes doing," assistant general manager Matt Forman told me. "Hes always made great swing decisions, hes always made good contact. When he hits the ball, he hits it really hard. He adds value in the other parts of his game, defensively and on the bases. Could he have been contributing at this level in the past? Im not sure, but hes put himself in position to do it now." "Hes confident; hes not arrogant," added Guardians manager Stephen Vogt. "Hes not cocky. Hes very confident in his abilities, and he was ready to be a big leaguer. We were just waiting for him to get healthy. Once he got healthy, were sitting there in a win-or-go-home game, it was like, yeah, he can handle this." DeLauters first inning as a big-leaguer, however, began ominously. On a sunny day in Cleveland last October against the Tigers, DeLauter dropped the first ball ever hit to him in center field. "That was kind of my moment of like, Oh, gosh, Im going to have to really baby him and take care of him," said Kwan, who was playing left field that day. But the way DeLauter responded to the mistake, and the quiet confidence he exuded in the midst of an elimination game, let Kwan know that wouldnt be necessary. "Just seeing his energy, it immediately told me, Oh, this kids going to be just fine," Kwan continued. "I dont know how I would react if I dropped my first fly ball ever in the big leagues in a playoff game, but he handled it so well, with grace." DeLauter followed the error by drawing an eight-pitch walk in his first career plate appearance. In the fourth, he made up for his defensive miscue by delivering a 92.3 mph strike from center field to cut down Zach McKinstry at third base and stifle a Detroit rally with a throw that flipped the momentum in an eventual Cleveland win. DeLauters next two at-bats ended in hard-hit outs, including a 110.8 mph lineout to center that represented the hardest-hit ball of the day for the Guardians. "For me, it was kind of a sense of belonging, feeling like they believe I can help the team win," DeLauter said. "I think for any player thats coming up, thats a huge thing. Confidence is everything, and to have these guys have my back in that situation especially after having an unfortunate first inning, I would say its everything. That confidence does wonders." No Moment Too Big for Him' Intrigue and injury have defined every stop of DeLauters career to this point. He excelled in the Cape Cod League in 2021, hitting nine homers with more walks than strikeouts in 34 games, and hit over .400 in three seasons at James Madison. But he only played in 66 college games. In his final year of college, he jumped out to a 1.404 OPS in 24 games before breaking his left foot. Shortly after getting selected 16th overall by Cleveland in 2022, another foot injury required surgery that delayed his minor-league debut until the following summer. In 2024, he fractured his left foot again and also dealt with toe and hamstring injuries. Last year, he suffered a core muscle injury in the spring and needed hernia surgery. He returned in May and started feeling like himself again in the summer only to then fracture the hamate bone in his right wrist in July. "Its tough, man," DeLauter told me. "I think it helps, though, going forward. The failures, the successes, the day-to-day process during the season, its kind of the same deal. Youre not rehabbing or dealing with body situations, but you go 0-for-4 with four punchies, and you could hit three homers the next day." Last Saturday in Seattle, DeLauters home run streak seemed destined to end after striking out three times and then grounding out in the seventh. When a final opportunity presented itself in extra innings, DeLauter fell down in the count against All-Star closer Andrs Muoz before muscling a 97 mph fastball up and out of the zone the other way for a two-run homer to break the game open. "Hes just shown theres no moment too big for him," Vogt said. "Hes showing maturity beyond his experience, and weve seen that in him for years now." In between all the injuries, DeLauter has always produced. He slashed .302/.384/.504 with 20 home runs and nearly as many walks (70) as strikeouts (80) in his minor-league career, showcasing a rare combination of plate discipline and power that made him the top prospect in Clevelands system. Those preternatural skills are now making him one of the most promising rookies in the sport. He's already the No. 2 hitter in Clevelands lineup, sandwiched between a two-time All-Star in Kwan and a seven-time All-Star in Ramrez. "To have a guy like that, a real home run presence in our lineup, I think it opens up so many opportunities," Kwan said. "And I think it makes my job a little easier. Just get on first base, and Im in scoring position. And again, just professional at-bats. Were going to see a ton of pitches when hes at the plate. That helps Jose, [he] gets on base, and it just keeps rolling. Its a contagious thing." Last year, Cleveland right fielders ranked last in MLB in both wins above replacement (-1.6) and OPS (.605). In a short sample this year, they rank in the top five in both categories thanks mostly to DeLauter, who said his only personal goal this year is being available for 162 games. That hope, however, has already been quashed. The entire city of Cleveland held its collective breath in the first inning Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium when DeLauter fouled a 97.6 mph fastball from Shohei Ohtani off his surgically-repaired left foot. DeLauter grounded out on the next pitch and immediately hobbled out of the game. Finally, though, DeLauter appears to have caught a break, not suffered one. X-rays came back negative, and he could be back in the lineup Friday for his teams home opener against the Cubs. This time, his teammates should have a better idea of what to expect when hes roaming the outfield in Cleveland. "He's super hungry," Hoskins said. "Great start, but he knows that hes out for more." In "Touching Base," we check on the top players and topics making headlines around baseball and what comes next. Rowan Kavneris an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at@RowanKavner.
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