SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Chase DeLauter enjoyed his six weeks in the Arizona Fall League in 2023. He ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the developmental circuit, leading it with 27 RBIs in 23 games while slashing .299/.385/.529 and helping the Peoria Javelinas reach the championship game.

After DeLauter missed most of last season following surgery on his left foot, his AFL performance seemed to herald that one of baseball's best all-around prospects would soon be ready to help the Guardians. But as this October began with Cleveland in the American League playoffs, he found himself back in the Fall League, this time with the Surprise Saguaros.

DeLauter fractured his left foot again in late April, which sidelined him for most of the next three months, then lost most of September to a strained right hamstring. He has accumulated just 406 plate appearances in three pro seasons since the Guardians drafted him 16th overall out of James Madison in 2022, so both he and Cleveland were eager for him to get more at-bats in the AFL, where he went 4-for-14 with a homer in his first three games. On days when he's not in the lineup, he's doing rehab work at the club's training base in Goodyear, Ariz.

"I think if I'm fully healthy, the sky's the limit," said DeLauter, ranked No. 41 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. "Everyone would hopefully instill that confidence in himself. I think a bigger part of being out here is I'm going to get my reps in on the field and I'm also going to figure out how to keep myself out there. ... These next couple of months are going to really be solely focused on what I need to do to be ready for the spring next year and to be ready to help the organization in any way that I can."

DeLauter's foot issues began during his Draft year at James Madison, when he broke it running the bases. He played just 66 games in three years with the Dukes because of the pandemic and his injury, yet proved himself by hitting .402/.520/.715 in college and leading the Cape Cod League with nine homers and a .589 slugging percentage in the summer of 2021. The first first-round pick in school history, he has continued to rake in pro ball, batting .317/.387/.517 with 13 homers in 96 contests.

There's little that DeLauter can't do on the diamond. Few prospects can match his combination of size (6-foot-4, 235 pounds), athleticism, performance and plate discipline. His most obvious attribute is his well above-average raw power, but he also has the chance for solid or better tools across the board and possibly could stick in center field, though he profiles best in right.

When asked about the biggest strength and weakness in his game, DeLauter was blunt.

"Weakness? Honestly, I think it's just not staying on the field," he said. "They say availability is the best ability, so that's got to be my biggest weakness.

"I think my biggest strength is just kind of my presence in the box. I'm a bigger guy, so they think I'm just going to hit for straight power, but I really kind of play more like a contact hitter. I work situations, I won't just swing out of my shoes, I'll work to do whatever I can get to the barrel on the ball. I think those are really important tools to have at the professional level."

Guardians hitters in the Fall League

Kody Huff, C: Acquired from the Rockies last November in a trade for Cal Quantrill, Huff batted .245/.340/.364 with seven homers in 98 Double-A games. The son of longtime scout Tim Huff, he stands out with his instincts in all phases of the game and his strong work behind the plate could earn him a role as a big league backup.

Milan Tolentino, INF: A quality defender with solid speed, Tolentino is the son of former Astros first baseman Jose Tolentino and went in the fourth round of the 2020 Draft as a California high schooler. He hit .241/.313/.370 with nine homers and 17 steals in 111 Double-A games.

Guardians pitchers in the Fall League

Alaska Abney, RHP: Abney won't dazzle radar guns with his upper-80s fastball and upper-70s slider, yet he's effective. The 15th-rounder in 2021 from Coastal Carolina compiled a 1.95 ERA, .187 opponent average and 52 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A.

Dylan DeLucia, RHP: DeLucia was named Most Outstanding Player at the 2022 College World Series after leading Mississippi to its first national championship and went in the sixth round that July, but his pro debut was delayed for two years because of Tommy John surgery. He logged a 2.55 ERA, .197 opponent average and a 52/12 K/BB ratio in 49 1/3 innings, mostly in High-A, sitting at 92-94 mph and reaching 97 with his fastball while backing it up with an effective low-80s slider.

Allan Hernandez, RHP: A 12th-round pick as a Miami high schooler in 2019, Hernandez has developed into one of the hardest throwers in the system, parking at 96 mph and peaking at 99 mph with his fastball while also dealing mid-80s sliders. He posted a 2.79 ERA, .182 opponent average and 51 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings in High-A.

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Zak Kent, RHP: Sold by the Rangers to the Guardians in March, Kent battled elbow issues this season and recorded a 6.66 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 25 2/3 Triple-A innings. When healthy and at his best, he owns a wipeout mid-80s slider and a 92-97 mph fastball.

Andrew Misiaszek, RHP: Misiaszek gets a lot of chases and swings and misses with a combination of low-90s fastballs, mid-80s sliders and deception. Selected in the 32nd round out of Northeastern in 2019, he had Tommy John surgery in June 2023 and returned to the mound a year later, fashioning a 4.50 ERA, .188 opponent average and 21 strikeouts in 18 Triple-A innings.