Snakebitten Guardians prospect suffers another injury setback

The future of the Cleveland Guardians outfield just hit another unexpected speed bump.

Top prospect Chase DeLauter, whose highly-anticipated MLB debut seemed to get closer by the day, is now facing an extended absence after undergoing surgery for a right hamate fracture earlier this week in a cruel twist of fate for a player who has already battled his share of injury demons.

Chase DeLauter suffers another injury setback

DeLauter, who is currently ranked as the Guardians' No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, had been grinding through lingering right wrist soreness this season during his time with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers. The Guardians had been giving him intermittent off days in the hope that he'd be able to stay healthy, but the pain flared up just before the All-Star break.

That led to him getting an MRI that revealed the unfortunate hook of the hamate fracture. The procedure was performed Wednesday morning in Philadelphia by renowned hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham.

For position players, this type of surgery typically means a six to eight-week recovery period, so we likely won't see DeLauter back on the field until early September, at the very least. It's a significant blow for a player who appeared on the verge of breaking through to the big leagues this summer.

DeLauter is in the midst of his first full season with the Clippers, and was hitting .278 with five home runs and 21 RBI in 34 games prior to getting injured. There was even more buzz around his promotion due to Cleveland's struggles in the outfield this year, but the organization seemed to be slowplaying his return to the field after he struggled with injuries last year.

DeLauter's immense talent has been undeniable since the Guardians drafted him with the No. 16 pick in the 2022 draft, but they still haven't gotten anything from him at the major league level. This injury just adds to the list of frustrating setbacks he's had to deal with throughout his professional career.

From foot issues that required surgery to a sports hernia earlier this year that delayed his start to 2025, injuries have limited him to just 138 career minor league games across three seasons.

This latest wrist fracture is particularly galling since it's come just as the 23-year-old was building momentum and generating buzz for a potential call-up. While the Guardians remain confident in DeLauter's long-term future, this extended time away from the field is a tough pill to swallow for both the player and an organization eager to see its top prospects contribute at the highest level. We'll be counting down the days until this dynamic outfielder can finally get a clear runway to Cleveland.