CLEVELAND -- Chase DeLauter is set to visit hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham early this week to be assessed for lingering right wrist soreness, Guardians team president Chris Antonetti noted on Sunday.
DeLauter (the Guardians’ No. 2 prospect, No. 32 overall, according to MLB Pipeline) dealt with and played through the soreness in the final few weeks before the All-Star break with Triple-A Columbus. He had an uptick in symptoms on July 12 and has missed four straight games, entering Sunday.
“First and foremost, we continue to feel for Chase,” Antonetti said. “He desperately wants to be out there and he just continues to have lingering soreness in his hand.”
DeLauter went through a workout with Columbus on Thursday and worked out pregame Friday in preparation for the Clippers’ game against the Iowa Cubs, but was ultimately not in either lineup. He did not undergo imaging during the break; the Guardians first wanted to see first how he responded to rest.
“I imagine [Graham will] do a thorough assessment when he sees [DeLauter],” Antonetti said, “because we really want to try to understand what's going on, and how does that inform how we're thinking about the best path forward.”
DeLauter’s professional career has been affected by injuries since the Guardians selected him 16th overall in the 2022 MLB Draft. The 23-year-old has played 138 career games in the Minors, including 42 this season (34 with Columbus).
DeLauter opened the 2025 season on the injured list after undergoing core muscle surgery during Spring Training in March. He debuted with the Clippers on May 23, and the Guardians methodically built up his playing time while taking his physical history into consideration.
Last season, DeLauter played 39 total games in the Minors after he fractured a bone in his left foot (which he previously had surgically repaired in 2023) in April.
When DeLauter has been on the field, he has consistently been one of the most exciting prospects in the Guardians’ farm system. Over his Minor League career, he’s slashed .302/.384/.504 with 40 doubles, 20 homers, 87 RBIs and 70 walks with 80 strikeouts.
DeLauter has reached base safely in all 34 games he’s played with Columbus this season, and he is slashing .278/.383/.476 with five homers, 21 RBIs and 22 walks with 23 strikeouts at the Triple-A level.
LaViolette not expected to play at affiliate in ‘25
Antonetti also noted that Jace LaViolette, the Guardians’ first-round Draft pick this year, is unlikely to play affiliated ball this season. The 21-year-old recently underwent a cleanup procedure on his previously surgically repaired left hand.
LaViolette initially broke his left hand during Texas A&M’s second-round win over Auburn in the 2025 SEC Tournament. He underwent surgery and was back in the Aggies’ lineup on May 23, for a quarterfinal matchup against LSU.
The Guardians selected LaViolette No. 27 overall in the 2025 MLB Draft last Sunday. Paul Gillispie, Cleveland’s senior vice president of scouting, noted afterward that everything is looking good with LaViolette’s hand following the cleanup procedure and that the team has no concerns moving forward.
“We want to make sure we see the rehab through,” Antonetti said, “and we're not going to force him to get into affiliate games if that's not what makes the most sense.”
LaViolette is expected to get out to the Guardians’ player development complex in Arizona at some point this summer.