Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect plummets in new Top 100 ranking

There was a time not that long ago when Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect Chase DeLauter was viewed as a possible solution to their outfield problems. Most expected DeLauter to be a long-term foundational piece in Cleveland that could help solidify their lineup and bring the overall production of this group to the next level. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.

MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list has been updated, and DeLauter has taken a bit of a tumble when compared to his previous placement on this list. DeLauter has seen his ranking go from 30th to 52nd, a drop of 22 places, tied with Miami Marlins pitching prospect Noble Meyer for the second-largest drop behind New York Mets pitching prospect Brandon Sproat's 28.

Chase DeLauter's rankings drop speaks volumes

No one should be surprised to see DeLauter drop on the Top 100 prospects list, but to go from the top third of prospects to the upper part of the bottom half is pretty telling regarding how he is viewed by those outside of Cleveland.

The injury history and overall lack of availability appear to be primary reasons for DeLauter's drop on this list. "DeLauter hadn't played more than 57 games in either of his first two full seasons due to various left foot injuries, making his health paramount for development in 2025. Unfortunately, he underwent core muscle surgery in March, delaying his start to the season. Even if it's unrelated to his previous woes, the lost time stacks up and affects the belief the outfielder can reach his considerable ceiling." writes MLB.com's Sam Dykstra, and it is hard to argue with this evaluation.

The Guardians needed DeLauter to show anything remotely close to being a productive player in the minors this season, and he is yet to play a single minor league game for Triple-A Columbus due to the above-mentioned core muscle surgery. DeLauter recently began a rehab assignment at the Arizona Complex League, showing that he is making progress toward returning to action in the appropriate minor league level. Sure, it is a step in the right direction for DeLauter, but there is a long way to go before anyone can even entertain the possibility of him making his Major League Debut this season as initially expected.

While some may still be holding out hope that DeLauter can be the impact player he was previously viewed as it may be best to view whatever they receive from him as a bonus at this time. There are just too many obstacles for the Guardians to genuinely count on DeLauter to be a meaningful contributor in their major league outfield. Cleveland's decision-makers must act accordingly if they are going to field the best possible and most reliable roster they can, even if that means leaving DeLauter out of the equation entirely.