DeLucia bounced back from Tommy John surgery in a big way in 2024. How high can he climb in 2025?
Recovering right-hander Dylan DeLucia is our No. 18 prospect for 2025 after winning a yet another razor thin four-man race on Tuesday.
DeLucia was a sixth round selection by Cleveland in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Ole Miss. He led the Rebels to the 2022 College World Series championship and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. He did not make his pro debut until 2024 due to having undergone Tommy John surgery after he was drafted.
But he made up for lost time quickly.
DeLucia finally made his pro debut on June 21, 2024, with two innings in the Arizona Complex League. In two appearances with the ACL, he didn’t allow a run on three hits with three strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
He was advanced to Single-A Lynchburg, where he was allowed to pitch 3.0 innings at a time for three starts. Apparently, Cleveland had seen enough because DeLucia almost immediately was advanced to High-A Lake County, where he flourished.
I think many Cleveland fans got their first taste of DeLucia because he was Lake County’s starting pitcher when 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick (and No. 1 CTC prospect) Travis Bazzana made his pro debut last season.
Over his final eight starts with the Captains spanning 35.2 innings, DeLucia sported a rock solid 2.52 ERA and 3.55 FIP while striking out 9.84 batters per nine innings. Control is usually the last thing that comes back when a pitcher recovers from Tommy John surgery, so it was encouraging to see DeLucia’s walk rate sitting at 2.27 per nine innings.
DeLucia’s best performance of the season was a start on August 13th where he whiffed nine batters and walked none in 5.0 innings. He only allowed two hits and the lone blemish on his outing was a solo home run surrendered.
Dylan was dealing! #Guardians 24yr old RHP prospect Dylan DeLucia struckout a career high 9 Great Lakes batters tonight allowing just one run on two hits for Lake County!
Line – 5.0(IP) 2H 1R 1ER 0BB 9SO (66 Pitches 42 Strikes)
2024 – 31.1(IP) 20H 10R 10ER 9BB 35SO 2.87 ERA… pic.twitter.com/YVzHADI9n0
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) August 14, 2024
DeLucia also was Lake County’s starting pitcher when it won the Midwest Championship in the High-A playoffs, tossing 4.2 shutout innings with five strikeouts to help lead the Captains to glory. He got some additional work in the Arizona Fall League, making six appearances spanning 18.2 innings, where he was knocked around a bit with a 6.75 ERA.
As long as Cleveland thinks he can handle a heavier load, look for DeLucia to begin the 2025 campaign in Double-A Akron, where he could advance quickly if he continues to perform well.
Juneiker Caceres, OF (Age 17)
2024 (DSL) 167 PA, .340/.425/.504, 0 HR, 9 SB, 11.4 BB%, 10.8 K%, 146 wRC+
Absolutely annihilated the ball as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela in his pro debut at the Dominican Summer League in 2024. Is still light years away from the MLB level.
Braylon Doughty, RHP (Age 19)
2024: ——
Cleveland’s competitive balance pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, selected at No. 36 overall out of high school with a $2.57 million signing bonus. Touches 97 mph already with his fastball.
Nic Enright, RHP (Age 28)
2024 (AAA): 16 G, 17.0 IP, 1.06 ERA, 0.80 FIP, 36.1 K%, 11.1 BB%
Overcame stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma plus a mid-season injury to put up impressive numbers in a small sample size in 2024, earning a spot on the Guardians’ 40-man roster.
Daniel Espino, RHP (Age 24)
2024: ——
Cleveland’s 2019 first round pick, once compared to Jacob DeGrom and Gerrit Cole, has struggled to stay healthy and has not pitched since 2022 due to shoulder surgeries.
Michael Kennedy, LHP (Age 20)
2024 (A w/ PIT): 15 GS, 73.0 IP, 4.07 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 26.6 K%, 5.3 BB%
2024 (A+ w/ PIT): 2 GS, 10.2 IP, 0.84 ERA, 1.87 FIP, 36.6 K%, 7.3 BB%
Kennedy joined the organization in the Spencer Horwitz trade(s). Thought he did not dominate at Single-A he finished strong with two great High-A starts.
Guy Lipscomb, OF (Age 23)
2024 (A+): 283 PA, .278/.360/.379, 3 HR, 26 SB, 10.2 BB%, 15.2 K%, 116 wRC+
2024 (AA): 79 PA, .273/.380/.409, 1 HR, 8 SB, 15.2 BB%, 16.5 K%, 130 wRC+
Kwan-esque contact-first outfielder with good speed and an excellent eye at the plate. Actually improved his numbers following a midseason promotion to Double-A Akron.
Luis Merejo, 1B (Age 18)
2024 (ACL): 200 PA, .250/.417/.421, 4 HR, 8 SB, 17.5 BB%, 24.0 K%, 123 wRC+
2024 (A): 121 PA, .282/.372/.466, 3 HR, 3 SB, 9.1 BB%, 24.8 K%, 145 wRC+
A young Dominican with power potential, showed a great eye at the plate in his stateside debut, then put up impressive hitting numbers in a small sample size with Lynchburg.
Joey Oakie, RHP (Age 18)
2024: ——
Cleveland’s third round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Ankeny Centennial in Iowa, Oakie stands 6-foot-3, 200 pounds with a mid-90s fastball and took a $2 million signing bonus.
Alfonsin Rosario, OF (Age 20)
2024 (A w/ CHC): 456 PA, .230/.344/.423, 16 HR, 20 SB, 12.3 BB%, 32.2 K%, 127 wRC+
Acquired from Chicago in the Eli Morgan trade, put up impressive speed and power numbers as a 19-year-old in Single-A last season, but strikeouts could be an issue.
Ryan Webb, LHP (Age 25)
2024 (AA): 18 GS, 106.2 IP, 2.87 ERA, 2.97 FIP, 26.8 K%, 8.8 BB%
2024 (AAA): 4 GS, 34.2 IP, 2.60 ERA, 4.09 FIP, 22.4 K%, 8.8 BB%
The 2021 4th round pick put up his best numbers in 2024 at the highest levels that he’s pitched at in both Double-A and Triple-A. Survived the Rule 5 Draft after unprotected.