The Cleveland Guardians have been searching for another legitimate offensive threat to pair with Jose Ramirez. They might’ve found their answer in rookie Chase DeLauter.
DeLauter’s scorching the baseball right now – four home runs in three games to start the season. He’s already looking like a frontrunner for AL Rookie of the Year, but he’s got plenty of company in what’s shaping up to be a loaded rookie class.
According to ESPN’s David Schoenfield, DeLauter and Detroit Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle are leading what could be a “special” rookie class. If these AL Central rookies keep producing like this, we might be looking at something generational.
“This rookie class is going to be special,” Schoenfield writes. “… Let’s give the 2026 class a little more time to marinate before making these all-time comparisons. But what a great start to the season for this year’s rookies.”
It’s way too early to start comparing this group to the all-time great rookie classes, but they’re certainly checking the right boxes so far.
While DeLauter’s been crushing baseballs, McGonigle’s made his mark with plate discipline and clutch hitting. That includes a 10-pitch at-bat with the bases loaded in a left-on-left matchup that had veteran pitchers taking notes.
St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt isn’t being left out either. He homered in his MLB debut, then followed it up with a walk-off in his second game.
That’s just the beginning. Sal Stewart, Carson Benge, and Owen Caissie of the Cubs are all off to strong starts as well.
The depth doesn’t stop their either. There’s a whole group of rookies who got their feet wet last season and are ready to make bigger impacts: Trey Yesavage, Connelly Early, Nolan McLean, Bubba Chandler, Samuel Basallo, Carter Jensen, Dylan Beavers, and Moises Ballesteros.
What makes this class even more intriguing is the talent still waiting in the wings. Justin Crawford and Andrew Painter could debut at any point. Plus, there’s the NPB transfers in Kazuma Okamoto and Munetaka Murakami bringing proven professional experience.
Look, we’re five days into the 2026 season. It’s way too soon to crown anyone or make grand proclamations about rookie classes. But the early returns have been encouraging, with DeLauter and McGonigle setting the pace for what could turn into something really special.
The Guardians needed another offensive piece. Based on what we’ve seen so far, DeLauter might be exactly what they were looking for.
