SEATTLE (AP) — Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter hit a home run in the first regular-season at-bat of his major league career on Thursday.
DeLauter, a top prospect who debuted in the AL Wild Card Series last fall, turned on a full-count slider by Seattle starting pitcher Logan Gilbert and hit it 358 feet to right field.
DeLauter, 24, became the fifth player in Cleveland's 126-year franchise history to hit a home run in his first career
regular-season at-bat. He is the first Guardians player to do so since Jhonkensy Noel on June 26, 2024.
On Wednesday, DeLauter told The Associated Press it felt “awesome” to make Cleveland's opening day roster after hitting .452 with three home runs and nine RBIs in spring training.
“I mean, just thrilled to be around the guys," DeLauter said. "Thrilled to be available. Really excited to just play some meaningful baseball again.”
DeLauter said appearing in two postseason games last year made him feel like he belonged in the majors, and that it allowed him to focus on keeping his body in good shape. Manager Stephen Vogt similarly thinks that DeLauter's postseason experience allowed him to more easily adjust.
“Chase is a special player,” Vogt said. "We know everybody who first gets to the big leagues, there’s going to be a learning curve. It’s going to be a process. And understanding how to get your body ready to play every day in the big leagues. But, Chase had a phenomenal spring. And, he’s going to be right there hitting in the two hole.”
Selected 16th in the 2022 amateur draft, DeLauter hit .278 with five homers and 21 RBIs in 34 games at Triple-A Columbus in 2025. He likely would have been up at some point during the regular season, but was sidelined by injuries for much of the year.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
