FanGraphs isn't too high on Chase DeLauter for his rookie season with the Cleveland Guardians.
The Cleveland Guardians have yet to make any moves this offseason to add a bat to the big-league roster.
One reason for that is the front office is hesitant to add an everyday player because they’re incredibly high on their young trio of outfielders, led by elite prospect Chase DeLauter, who made his MLB debut in Game 2 of the American League WIld Card series last October.
One reality the Guardians must come to grips with is that just because DeLuater had a .888 OPS in his 138 career minor league games, it doesn’t mean he’ll immediately, or ever, repeat those same stats at the big-league level.
With that in mind, FanGraphs’ famous ZiPS projections aren’t necessarily too high on DeLauter for his rookie season.
The forecast model is predicting DeLauter to finish the 2026 season with a .246/.315/.402 slash line and an OPS+ of 98, meaning he’d be on average two percent worse than the average big-league hitter. DeLauter is also predicted to hit 10 doubles and six home runs in 200 plate appearances.
Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter takes off his gear after being walked at his first MLB at-bat during the second inning of Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series on Oct. 1, 2025, in Cleveland.Overall, that amount of playing time does seem slightly low for a player the Guardians are relying on to get their lineup over the hump and not be one of the worst offenses in baseball for a consecutive season.
That said, DeLuater has only 582 plate appearances across his three-year minor league career due to injuries. Hopefully, it never happens, but it feels inevitable for the 24-year-old to end up on the injured list at some point through the season.
The potential of DeLuater to be in and out of the lineup because of injuries or Cleveland simply not wanting him to play every day as a precaution could also be another reason why his projected plate appearances feel so low. Plus, if DeLuater is in and out of the lineup due to potential injuries, finding a rhythm and consistent success could be difficult.
It’s understandable why the Guardians are so high on DeLauter, who has done nothing but hit at every minor league level and showed some encouraging signs in his incredibly small sample size in the postseason.
On the other hand, it’s also easy to see why FanGraphs is hesitant to dub DeLauter as the savior and hero of Cleveland’s offensive woes.