One of the main issues for the Cleveland Guardians, a little over halfway through the 2025 season, is their lackluster offense. With a struggling outfield that can’t get anything going, the Guardians need to make a move if they are looking to make a postseason push this season.
Fortunately, the Guardians have an in-house option that could help bolster the offense and provide a spark to a club in need of positive momentum. During a segment on the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast, Joe Noga provided a very interesting update on top prospect Chase DeLauter.
“Over the weekend,” Noga said. “For the first time, really, we heard from Chis Antonetti saying that as far as development goes, as far as major league readiness goes, Chase DeLauter, the organization’s number two overall prospect, is major league ready. It’s just finding an opportunity for him to get out there and play.”
DeLauter, the 45th-ranked prospect in baseball and the Guardians’ second-ranked prospect, could be making his MLB debut soon. It’s an exciting proposition, and while this isn’t a report that the team is making the move, it’s a strong indication that a move is close.
Lane Thomas and Nolan Jones, along with the other players who tried out in right field, all have struggled this season. For the Guardians, finding a long-term replacement in the outfield is a trade deadline priority.
Instead of trying to trade for one, promoting from within seems to be the easiest path to a starter in the outfield. With DeLauter healthy and slugging with a .902 OPS in Triple-A, there isn’t a good reason not to bring him up.
Noga’s report suggests the team is at the point where they’re ready to call DeLauter up; it’s only a matter of when and how. He’d likely take over for Jones in right field, which would likely be an immediate improvement.
After the Guardians’ six-game home stand, where the offense hit just .176, the calls for DeLauter and fellow top prospect C.J. Kafus to get called up have increased. With the calls for DeLauter to get called up, and this report from Noga, things are trending towards the Guardians bringing up their second-ranked prospect before long.
