Cleveland Guardians Select Outfielder Chase DeLauter With 2022 First Round Pick

DeLauter is a fabulous hitter from James Madison University.

The 2022 Major League Baseball Draft is underway from Los Angeles as the All-Star break commences and the Cleveland Guardians have made their first big splash.

With the 16th pick in this year's First Year Player Draft, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the team selected James Madison University outfielder Chase DeLauter.

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— Cleveland Guardians On SI (@GuardiansOnSI) July 18, 2022

DeLauter only played 66 games as a college player, but his bat obviously impressed as he led the Dukes. He's a 6-foot-4, 235-pound outfielder that had his season cut short because of an ankle injury. DeLauter his .437 with eight home runs, eight doubles, 35 RBI's and 10 stolen bases over just 24 games. 

He departs JMU as the program's all-time leader in on-base percentage (.520), second in batting average (.402) and third in slugging percentage (.715). He reached base safely in 62 of his 66 career games, hitting safely in 55 of them. During his career, he racked up 103 hits, 27 doubles, four triples, 15 homers and 70 RBI. He scored 71 runs, stole 24 bases and drew 62 walks.

Here's what MLB.com has to say about DeLauter:

After hitting extremely well in abbreviated seasons in 2020 and 2021, then tying for the Cape Cod League lead in home runs last summer, DeLauter has the chance to become the first true first-rounder in the history of the school. He was well on his way to cementing that position with a .437/.576/.828 line in 24 games when he broke his foot in April sliding into second base.

DeLauter could be a middle-of-the-order type of hitter. He’s put up gaudy numbers at JMU, beating up the pitching in the mid-major Colonial Athletic Conference. He has at least plus raw power and even though there’s a little drift to his lower half that causes him to be more of a front-foot hitter at times, he’s so big and strong he can still out-leverage pitching.

DeLauter runs well, especially for his size, which helps him now in center field, though most see a move to a corner in the future. He’s shown a strong arm that has fired 90-92 mph fastballs as a pitcher in college, but has played more as average in the outfield, with a power profile that would fit well in right field..

The Guardians have eight prospects inside the top 100 in the minor leagues, which is the most of any franchise right now in baseball. Surely, the organization expects DeLauter will add to that depth and can be a Major League outfielder sooner than later.

Stay tuned to our YouTube channel for coverage, as the Guardians Director of Amateur Scouting Scott Barnsby will be available to the media after each of the three days of the draft conclude. He's expected to meet with reporters at approximately 12:15 AM Eastern Time tonight.

The Guardians are scheduled to make two more selections Sunday night (No. 37 overall in competitive balance round A and No. 54 overall in the second round).

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