Chase DeLauter discusses what he's done to be ready for his rookie season with the Cleveland Guardians.
The Cleveland Guardians trusted Chase DeLauter to make his MLB debut and be in the lineup in two playoff elimination games last October, and he should be a big part of the success that the team has in 2026.
DeLauter clearly has the physical talent to be a productive hitter, but it takes more than just that to succeed at the big-league level, and the 24-year-old is well aware of that, which has part of what’s fueled his offseason preparation.
DeLauter recently shared that his next step over the winter has been “kind of developing plans there on the hitting side, on what you expect next, and how to have plans of attack going into games and stuff like that, is definitely been an emphasis.”
The Guardians organization has certainly been helping not just DeLauter, but all of the young players on that front.
“They do great at the complex, at getting us in here, providing opportunities like for some camps. We had a hitting camp - I went to stay in Cleveland a couple of weeks ago, and, we had all the young guys there and did a whole thing,” DeLauter said.
Of course, another hot topic regarding DeLauter has been his health. The 2024 first-round pick has played in only 138 minor league games over the last three seasons due to these injuries.
DeLauter understands that he can gameplan as much as he wants, but none of it will be worth anything if he’s not on the field. Because of that, DeLauter also noted how much he’s been trying to focus on his body this winter, too.
“I've been trying to cut down a little bit of the weight, just come down a little bit, clean up, and make sure I can be on my feet as much as possible. That's kind of been a big thing in the past, not playing every day, just not really playing a whole season yet. So, I'm trying to figure out how to make sure my legs are ready for that, and then I think everything else comes through,” explained DeLauter.
Hopefully, with all the offseason work, DeLauter will have a productive and healthier 2026 season and be the elite-level hitter the Guardians need him to be.
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Category: General Sports
