Spring training is a fun time for fans because they get a look at some of the organization's top prospects who are still playing at the minor-league level. Chase DeLauter is a perfect example of this.
DeLauter was a midgame sub for Myles Straw in the Cleveland Guardians ' loss to the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday afternoon. He may not have played the entire game, but he still had time to unleash this monster home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
This ball cleared the fence, stands, and the stadium!
One thing that fans may notice about DeLauter is that he has an unconventional swing. His hands dip down before he makes contact with the ball instead of driving to it. The end of this video does a great job of capturing this abnormal movement.
DeLauter's swing has been criticized and some MLB analysts have some concern over whether or not it will be able to translate to the big leagues. Clearly, there he had no issue making contact with this pitch.
DeLauter was Cleveland's first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. He ended the 2023 season with the Akron Ducks (Double-A), but he spent the majority of his time with the Lake County Captains (A+). DeLauter hit .355/.417/.528 with a .873 OPS between both levels.
The Guardians are still in desperate need of more offense from their outfielders at the major league level. At least fans know they have DeLauter in the organization and he should eventually reach the majors.
Now, the question is when will that time come? Will we see DeLauter play at Progressive Field in 2024?
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