Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

The best player by far to come out of James Madison University has been Billy Sample, a tenth-round pick back in 1976. 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 and surpass Sample’s big league production. 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. Some might question the length in his swing path and some scouts point to being overmatched against Florida State to start the season as proof that it won’t work against better pitching, but he had no problem getting to his power with wood on the Cape, and the fact he has more walks than strikeouts in his career points to a solid approach.

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.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

Largely anonymous as a West Virginia prepster, DeLauter batted .402/.520/.715 in three years at James Madison and became the first Duke ever drafted in the first round. Though the pandemic shortened his schedule in his first two seasons and a broken left foot truncated his third, he had proved his bona fides by leading the Cape Cod League with nine homers and a .589 slugging percentage in the summer of 2021. He reinjured his foot after signing for $3.75 million as the 16th overall pick in 2022, leading to surgery to replace a screw with a bone graft and delaying his pro debut until June 2023, but he posted a .945 OPS while reaching Double-A afterward and then starred in the Arizona Fall League.

At 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds, DeLauter offers a tantalizing combination of size, athleticism, performance and plate discipline. His loudest tool is his well-above-average raw power to all fields, which he creates with bat speed, strength and leverage. His left-handed swing can get long and he'll drift onto his front foot, yet he still makes consistent hard contact and controls the strike zone exceptionally well.

DeLauter has solid speed and uses it to steal an occasional base and to cover ground in the outfield. He played all three outfield positions in his debut and projects as an average defender in center field and solid on the corners. He fits best in right field with a strong arm that produced low-90s fastballs when he pitched sporadically at James Madison.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55 

Barely recruited as a West Virginia high schooler, DeLauter attended James Madison and became the first first-rounder in Dukes history after batting .402/.520/.715 in three years. The pandemic limited his first two seasons and a broken left foot shortened his third, but he proved himself with wood bats by leading the Cape Cod League in homers (nine) and slugging (.589) in the summer of 2021. He reinjured his foot after signing for $3.75 million as the 16th overall pick, leading to surgery to replace a screw with a bone graft in January and putting his pro debut on hold until midseason 2023.

The 6-foot-4, 235-pound DeLauter offers a rare combination of size, athleticism, plate discipline and performance. His bat speed, strength and leverage combine to give him well above-average raw power to all parts of the ballpark, and he lets his power come naturally with an extremely disciplined approach. Scouts aren't enamored of his tendency to get long with his left-handed swing or to drift onto his front foot, but that hasn't stopped him from making a lot of hard contact. 

DeLauter possesses solid speed and translates it into basestealing ability and center-field range. Some scouts think he's destined for right field, where his plus power and arm strength would fit the classic profile. He delivered low-90s fastballs when he pitched sporadically in college. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55 

Lightly recruited as a West Virginia prepster, DeLauter went to James Madison and batted .402/.520/.715 in three years en route to becoming the highest pick in school history. The pandemic shortened his first two seasons and a broken left foot truncated his third, but he also proved himself with wood bats in the Cape Cod League, which he led in homers (nine) and slugging (.589) in 2021. He offered the best combination of tools, plate discipline and performance among college hitters in the 2022 Draft and went 16th overall before signing for $3.75 million. 

DeLauter is a 6-foot-4, 235-pound athlete with bat speed, strength and leverage that produce well-above-average raw power that plays to all fields. He lets his pop come naturally with an extremely disciplined approach that resulted in 62 walks vs. just 45 strikeouts in 66 college games. Scouts don't love his left-handed stroke, which can get long, or his tendency to drift onto his front foot, but it's hard to argue with his track record. 

DeLauter is a legitimate five-tool talent. He translates his plus speed into basestealing ability and enough range to man center field. Some evaluators think he'll wind up moving to right field, and he has the arm for the position after producing some low-90s fastballs during sporadic college pitching appearances. 

Awards

AFL Rising Stars

Year	Team
2023

AFL Player of the Week

Week	Team
10/28/2023

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/25/2024	RF Chase DeLauter assigned to Surprise Saguaros.
	09/24/2024	Columbus Clippers activated RF Chase DeLauter from the 7-day injured list.
	08/30/2024	Columbus Clippers placed OF Chase DeLauter on the 7-day injured list.
	08/19/2024	OF Chase DeLauter assigned to Columbus Clippers from Akron RubberDucks.
	08/19/2024	Columbus Clippers activated OF Chase DeLauter.
	07/27/2024	Akron RubberDucks activated OF Chase DeLauter from the 7-day injured list.
	07/20/2024	Akron RubberDucks sent OF Chase DeLauter on a rehab assignment to ACL Guardians.
	07/20/2024	Akron RubberDucks sent OF Chase DeLauter on a rehab assignment to ACL Guardians.
	06/10/2024	Akron RubberDucks placed OF Chase DeLauter on the 7-day injured list.
	05/28/2024	Akron RubberDucks activated OF Chase DeLauter from the 7-day injured list.
	05/02/2024	Akron RubberDucks placed OF Chase DeLauter on the 7-day injured list.
	03/07/2024	Cleveland Guardians Prospects activated OF Chase DeLauter.
	02/24/2024	OF Chase DeLauter assigned to Cleveland Guardians.
	11/03/2023	OF Chase DeLauter assigned to American League Fall Stars.
	09/22/2023	Peoria Javelinas activated OF Chase DeLauter.
	09/12/2023	OF Chase DeLauter assigned to Akron RubberDucks from Lake County Captains.
	06/29/2023	Lake County Captains activated OF Chase DeLauter from the 60-day injured list.
	06/29/2023	Lake County Captains activated OF Chase DeLauter from the 60-day injured list.
	06/05/2023	Lake County Captains sent OF Chase DeLauter on a rehab assignment to ACL Guardians.
	04/06/2023	Lake County Captains placed OF Chase DeLauter on the 60-day injured list.
	04/05/2023	OF Chase DeLauter assigned to Lake County Captains from ACL Guardians.
	03/06/2023	OF Chase DeLauter assigned to ACL Guardians from Guardians Organization.
	08/16/2022	OF Chase DeLauter assigned to Guardians Organization.
	07/30/2022	Cleveland Guardians signed OF Chase DeLauter.
	06/11/2022	College Workout activated OF Chase DeLauter.
	06/11/2022	OF Chase DeLauter and assigned to College Workout.