​As we continue our coverage of the 2026 MLB draft, which kicks off this Saturday, I’ll be taking a closer look at the Guardians’ four most recent selections and how they’ve added real depth to Cleveland’s farm system. For clarity, the ages listed below reflect how old each player was when drafted about four years ago; simply add four years to determine their current age.
1 (16). Chase DeLauter, OF/LHH, Age 20, $3.75 million bonus. The Guardians picked DeLauter 16th overall out of James Madison University. At the time, scouting director Scott Barnsby praised him as a physical, extraordinarily competitive right-hander who carried impressive power. “He’s physical, has performed extremely well and he’s an intense competitor,” Barnsby said. “This spring he was having an outstanding year — hitting .487 with eight homers and 10 stolen bases — and then he ended up fracturing his foot in April.” Injuries soon became a recurring theme for DeLauter, as he missed time in every minor league season from 2023 through 2025 after not making his pro debut in the year he was drafted due to an injury. Yet when he did play, the results were striking. In 2023, he produced a 160 wRC+ across three levels in 57 games; in 2024, he posted a 133 wRC+ across Double-A and Triple-A. He finally made his pro debut during the 2025 MLB playoffs, a clear signal of how highly Cleveland regarded him at that time. Remarkably, DeLauter’s healthiest season to date has come this year, and the optimism around him has grown accordingly. He earned a roster spot out of Spring Training and has appeared in 75 games, slashing .276/.342/.427 with a 117 wRC+, establishing himself as one of MLB’s better rookie performers. Here’s hoping he can maintain that level of health and production.
2 (37). Justin Campbell, RHH, Age 21, $1.7 million bonus. Campbell came to Cleveland from Oklahoma State as a physically imposing right-hander standing 6 feet 7 inches tall. On draft day, Barnsby highlighted his makeup: “Campbell is a physical right-hander who can reach 97 mph. He pitches with an easy, average fastball and can reach back and get more whenever he wants it. He has a really feel for his changeup and throws strikes.” Campbell’s path to pro baseball, however, has been a long one. He sat out the 2023 season after undergoing ulnar nerve decompression surgery in May 2023 and then required Tommy John surgery, which kept him from playing in 2024 as well. He finally debuted in High-A Lake County as a 25-year-old, and the numbers have been outstanding. In High-A, he posted a 1.97 FIP over six starts, then moved up to Double-A, where he delivered a 2.70 ERA across nine starts while striking out 10.8 batters per nine innings. His momentum continued as he earned a promotion to Triple-A; unfortunately, he didn’t get the chance to face a batter in his first game before an oblique injury during warmups shut him down. The good news is that this injury is not to his throwing arm, and there’s strong optimism that he’ll return to the mound later in the year as one of the organization’s most compelling comeback stories. Campbell’s journey underscores the resilience and depth the Guardians have cultivated in their system, as he aims to return and build on what has already been an impressive progression through the minors.
Note: This recap emphasizes the optimism surrounding these two picks, detailing both the high expectations set at the time of their selections and the hurdles they’ve overcome en route to contributing at higher levels in the minors. The 2026 draft class remains a focal point for Cleveland’s ongoing strategy to fortify its farm, and these two players illustrate the blend of talent, resilience, and potential that the organization is banking on as it continues to develop depth from within.