The Cleveland Guardians are quietly making noise in the American League Central, and their latest surge up the power rankings has one name written all over it: Chase DeLauter.

After a relatively quiet offseason, the Guardians have once again proven they're a team you can never count out. With veterans like José Ramírez and Steven Kwan anchoring the lineup, Cleveland has jumped out to a solid start, keeping them firmly in the mix near the top of the division.

Last week, the Guardians sat at No. 14 in MLB's power rankings. A rocky stretch could have sent them tumbling—if not for the red-hot bat of their rookie sensation. Instead, they climbed one spot to No. 13, according to Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller.

DeLauter, the 16th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, is making his first full season in the big leagues one to remember. Through 32 games, he's slashing an impressive .304/.392/.554 with eight doubles, a triple, six home runs, and 21 RBIs. But it was his performance last week that truly turned heads: a scorching 13-for-22 at the plate, single-handedly keeping the Guardians afloat during a .500 week.

As Miller noted, "You might recall this rookie also had five home runs within the first eight games of the season... We'll see if he continues to be the type of player who just has these stretches in which he becomes a walking inferno, but he is very much still in the AL Rookie of the Year conversation."

That conversation, however, comes with stiff competition. Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami is currently tied with Aaron Judge for the most home runs in baseball this season, making the rookie race one of the most exciting storylines to watch.

For Guardians fans, DeLauter's emergence is a welcome sign—and a reminder that sometimes the biggest headlines come from the most unexpected places. If he keeps swinging like this, Cleveland's rise in the rankings might just be the beginning.