Chase

DeLauter

Enright is dealing with a lat strain, and is a candidate to open the year on the 60-day injured list. Espino is one of the most talented young pitchers in baseball, but hasn’t been able to pitch since 2022 because of injuries. DeLauter is one of the top hitting prospects in the Cleveland system and stands a good chance of making his MLB debut before 2025 comes to a close.

It’s a brutal blow for one of Cleveland’s top prospects, as DeLauter also battled foot injuries for most of last season and injuries have limited him to just 96 games since being drafted 16th overall back in 2022. The 23-year-old reportedly suffered the injury during defensive drills on February 28, and, following clinical evaluation, surgery was deemed necessary to repair the bilateral core muscle. He will remain in Arizona as he continues his rehab and could conceivably appear in minor league games at the end of May. The delay makes it hard to see DeLauter making his big-league debut this season; although, it’s possible he could push for a call-up in late August or September if he hits the ground running once he’s back.

DeLauter was once again plagued by foot issues last year, which limited him to just 39 contests between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. The 23-year-old former first-round pick was really starting to take off on the doorstep of the big leagues before a late August hamstring strain ended his shot at making Cleveland’s postseason roster. The positive news is that he looked sharp during a 12-game stint in the Arizona Fall League and projects as an impact fantasy contributor at the highest level due to his combination of elite contact skills and plus raw power. It’s only a matter of time before he’s a fixture in the Guardians’ outfield mix.

DeLauter might be a member of the Cleveland outfield in the ALCS right now if he hadn’t been limited to 39 games by foot and hamstring injuries this season. The 2022 first-round pick went 7-for-23 with two homers and four doubles in six games following a late-season promotion to Triple-A, and he’s 4-for-14 with one strikeout through three AFL games.

The timing of the injury, which DeLauter suffered during the late stages of Wednesday’s contest for Triple-A Columbus, comes at arguably the worst possible moment as the 22-year-old top prospect was a strong candidate for a September call-up. He’s likely to miss at least a couple weeks, even in a best-case scenario, and could potentially be done for the rest of the minor league season.

DeLauter has been on a roll since arriving in Triple-A last week, batting .304 (7-for-23) with two homers and seven RBI in six games. The 22-year-old is quickly re-establishing himself as one of the top hitting prospects in the fantasy landscape after a couple injury-plagued months at the outset of the year.

DeLauter has been on a heater since arriving in Triple-A earlier this month as his latest multi-hit performance leaves him with an astronomical .316 batting average with one homer in five contests so far. The 22-year-old is healthy and looking like one of the premier fantasy prospects in the game once again.

DeLauter connected for his first Triple-A round-tripper on Friday, just a few days after being promoted earlier this week to the doorstep of the majors, after homering in three consecutive contests last week for Double-A Akron. The 22-year-old outfielder’s fantasy stock is back on the rise after some extended struggles earlier this summer, and a recurrence of a lingering foot issue back in the spring. We’re not banking on him getting a late-season call-up, but it wouldn’t be a total surprise, especially with Cleveland in the midst of a playoff push.

It might be too late in the season for DeLauter to eventually get MLB at-bats, but he’s making his case while in the midst of a nine-game hitting streak at Double-A Akron with home runs in four of his last seven games. The 22-year-old has battled foot injuries this season which have slowed his progress, but he’s hitting .252 in 30 games in Double-A with a .770 OPS, five home runs, and an impressive 14 walks to 19 strikeouts. If he does eventually get a call-up this season, he should be added in all fantasy leagues given his upside.

DeLauter’s stock was trending in the opposite direction just a few weeks ago, but really starting to come on of late, homering three times over his last six games. It’s never been a talent issue for the 22-year-old outfielder, despite some struggles this year at the Double-A level, as persistent foot issues have derailed his development the last few years. If he’s healthy, he’s going to make it to Cleveland, and likely make an impact for fantasy managers once he does.