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7h ago

Guardians Draft Texas A&M Slugger Jace LaViolette At No. 27

Guardians’ best-player-available strategy led them to the towering power hitter after his resilience through injury boosted his draft appeal.

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Overview

  • The Cleveland Guardians selected outfielder Jace LaViolette with the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft.
  • LaViolette finished his Texas A&M career as the school’s all-time home run leader with 68 homers and set the program mark for walks at 169.
  • A late-season broken left hand in the SEC tournament cost LaViolette a slot on many boards yet he returned to the lineup just one day after surgery.
  • The 6-foot-6, 230-pound lefty slugger entered the spring as a potential No. 1 pick before a down junior season and injury slid him into the late first-round range.
  • Guardians VP Paul Gillispie said the team prioritized LaViolette’s raw power, plate discipline and physical profile under its best-player-available draft approach.