Guardians fans will feel mix of joy and pain at latest Chase DeLauter accolade

Chase DeLauter’s professional baseball career has come with a lot of conflicting stops and starts. 

While he’s slowly risen the ranks of the Guardians’ prospect lists, he’s only played in 138 minor league games with Cleveland since they drafted him with the No. 16 pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. 

Earlier this week we got yet another example of the roller coaster ride DeLauter’s gone on so far in his career when MLB.com’s Ben Weinrib included him on a list of “prospects primed to bounce back from injury in 2026.” 

Although DeLauter being on any kind of top prospect list is still a bit exciting, it’s also a bit deflating for him to be on yet another list talking about players who are going to bounce back from injury. 

The Guardians need Chase DeLauter to stay healthy in 2026 

DeLauter’s inclusion on this list was likely a no-brainer for Weinrib considering DeLauter’s one of the top outfield prospects in baseball but only managed to play in 42 games in the minors due to a hernia injury and hamate fracture.

Although none of his injuries have been for lingering conditions, his injury luck has been baffling, which is something Weinrib mentioned. 

“The good news is that most of his injuries have been freak accidents that shouldn't be at elevated risk of recurring (although the frequency is head-scratching). The Guardians clearly have big faith in his bat -- he's one of four ranked overall prospects with 60-grade hit and power tools -- having started him twice in the playoffs for his first big league action,” he wrote. 

The Guardians threw DeLauter into the fire by calling him up during the postseason, and he mostly held his own in the two starts he made. 

While the Guardians lost their Wild Card Series to the Tigers, DeLauter being on the roster was a fun preview for fans while also serving as a huge step forward for the 24-year-old. But he’s obviously going to need to stay healthy if he wants to keep that momentum going forward in 2026. 

And it’s not hard to see how he could help the Guardians. Last season Guardians outfielders combined to hit just 57 home runs, and adding DeLauter’s legit power to the lineup gives them the immediate power upgrade they were searching for last season. 

The Guardians’ front office showed their faith in DeLauter this offseason by not signing any major league outfielders who could stand in his way. Now it’s on him to not trip on his way down the red carpet.