Until now, the Cleveland Guardians had kept top outfield prospect Chase DeLauter out of spring training games.
They wanted to make sure he was entirely well before he took the field, as a way to ease him back in after an injury-plagued 2024.
They had no idea that on February 28th, he would be injured during defensive training and would need surgery.
“Guardians prospect Chase DeLauter underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia.” He is likely to miss 8 to 12 weeks. Injuries have limited DeLauter to 96 games since Cleveland picked him in the first round of the 2022 draft,” Guardians insider Zack Meisel said on X.
According to a medical update issued by the Guardians, Dr. William Meyers performed surgery to treat the bilateral core muscle injuries.
DeLauter will return to Goodyear, Arizona, to begin his recovery later this week.
It’s a shattering setback for a player who has struggled to stay on the field since Cleveland drafted him.
The team expected huge things from him this spring, and there was even speculation that he may win the right field job in camp.
He was unable to play, and he will not be able to return to the field for some time.
DeLauter had a 129 wRC+ in 39 games across three levels last season, including a trip in Triple-A.
He missed several games while recovering from hamstring and foot problems.
There is still a chance DeLauter will make it to the major leagues this season, but only in the second half.
It’s a shame to see his injuries and fate treating him so poorly.
