Guardians Elite Prospect Could Be Rookie Of The Year Contender In 2025

MLB.com identifies Cleveland Guardians prospect Chase DeLauter as a possible 2025 Rookie of the Year candidate.

Apr 26, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of the socks and shoes of Cleveland Guardians center fielder Tyler Freeman (2) against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The 2024 Rookie of the Year winners were announced just last week, and spring training starts in a few months.

However, it's never too early to start looking at the next wave of young stars and who may stand out next season.

MLB.com looked at each team and identified one possible 2025 Rookie of the Year candidate for them. Their choice for the Cleveland Guardians was No. 2 ranked prospect Chase DeLauter.

Here's what their team of writers had to say:

"Foot and leg injuries have slowed DeLauter's progress since he became the first first-round pick from James Madison (16th overall in 2022), but he'll be a franchise cornerstone if he can stay healthy. Few prospects can match his package of size (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), athleticism, performance and plate discipline. He slashed .261/.341/.500 with eight homers in 39 games between three levels (mostly in Double-A), then ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the Arizona Fall League for the second straight year."

Feb 29, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter (6) catches a fly ball in the third inning against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images / Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Delauter, 22, could have made his major league debut in 2024 if he hadn't suffered a pair of injuries at the beginning of the minor league season. Despite those setbacks, he still put together a solid season, showing much promise as a power-hitting outfielder.

His status as a legit Rookie of the Year candidate in 2025 could come down to when (and if) he gets the call-up.

It would be much easier for DeLauter to win the award if he iswere on the Opening Day roster. However, the Guardians typically do not follow this trend with the top prospects.

Even if DeLauter doesn't win Rookie of the Year in the future, he's still a key piece of Cleveland's young core, and fans are eager to see him at the big-league level.