Captain of the Week (4/29-5/4): Dylan DeLucia
EASTLAKE, Ohio – After each series this season, the Lake County Captains will spotlight a Captain of the Week, presented by Official League, showcasing a player and their strong performance over the previous week. For the week of April 29 through May 4, Lake County is recognizing RHP Dylan DeLucia
EASTLAKE, Ohio – After each series this season, the Lake County Captains will spotlight a Captain of the Week, presented by Official League, showcasing a player and their strong performance over the previous week.
For the week of April 29 through May 4, Lake County is recognizing RHP Dylan DeLucia as its fourth Captain of the Week for the 2025 season. After receiving this honor in 2024 for the week of Aug. 20 through 25, DeLucia is the first Lake County player to receive multiple Captain of the Week awards.
The 24-year-old recorded a pair of impressive road starts against the Lansing Lugnuts, allowing just two hits and throwing nine strikeouts across eight combined scoreless innings of work.
On Tuesday, April 29, the right-hander tallied three strikeouts while surrendering just one hit in four shutout innings in an eventual 13-5 Captains victory. He then logged another four scoreless frames on Sunday, May 4, permitting just one hit and one walk, while throwing a season-high six strikeouts in an eventual 1-0 Lake County defeat (10 innings).
For the week of April 29 through May 4, DeLucia was one of just four qualified Midwest League pitchers to record a 0.00 ERA. The right-hander also ranked second in the league in innings pitched (8.0), opposing batting average (.077), and strikeouts (nine, tied), while ranking ninth in WHIP (1.00). He was one of just three Midwest League pitchers to make two starts during this span.
So far this season, DeLucia ranks top-10 in the Midwest League in opposing batting average (.195, sixth) and strikeouts (26, tied for 10th).
The right-hander has pitched 12 straight scoreless innings over his last three appearances. Since April 23, he leads the Midwest League with a .100 opposing batting average, and is one of just two qualified Midwest League pitchers with a 0.00 ERA during this span. DeLucia’s 12.0 innings pitched (tied for third), 13 strikeouts (tied for fourth), and 0.92 WHIP (eighth) all rank top-10 in the Midwest League during this stretch as well.
The Port Orange, Florida native was promoted to Lake County from Single-A Lynchburg on July 22, 2024. He made eight starts for the Captains last season, going 0-1 with a 2.52 ERA, 39 strikeouts to just nine walks, a 0.95 WHIP, and a .195 opposing batting average in 35.2 innings of work.
The right-hander then made two starts during the 2024 Midwest League Playoffs, throwing 10 strikeouts to just two walks across nine combined innings of work. This included 4.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts in the decisive Game 3 of the 2024 Midwest League Championship Series versus Wisconsin, which Lake County eventually won to secure its second title in franchise history.
DeLucia was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Guardians out of Ole Miss. He made 21 appearances (12 starts) in his lone season with the Rebels in 2022, going 8-2 with a 3.68 ERA, 105 strikeouts to just 26 walks, two complete games, one shutout, one save, and a .238 opposing batting average in 95.1 innings of work. This performance led to him being named a 2022 Third Team All-American by Baseball America.
But DeLucia cemented himself as a college baseball legend in his final career collegiate start, tossing a complete game shutout against Arkansas on June 23, 2022 to send Ole Miss to the College World Series Finals. The Rebels eventually won the 2022 College World Series, with DeLucia earning Most Outstanding Player honors.
Prior to time at Ole Miss, DeLucia pitched two seasons at Northwest Florida State College (JUCO). He made 23 appearances (18 starts) for the Raiders, going 15-2 with a 1.91 ERA, 163 strikeouts to just 32 walks, two complete games, one save, and a 0.93 WHIP in 127 innings of work.
Upon being drafted by the Guardians, DeLucia was assigned to the Arizona Complex League Guardians on Dec. 1, 2022. However, after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow in June of 2023, he did not appear in a professional game until June 21, 2024 with the ACL Guardians as part of a rehab assignment from Single-A Lynchburg.
DeLucia made two scoreless starts for the ACL Guardians, tossing a combined five scoreless innings, before being reassigned to Single-A Lynchburg on July 1, 2024. He made three starts for the Hillcats, allowing a combined seven hits, four earned runs, and three walks, while throwing 10 strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work.
DeLucia will look to continue his recent success this week, as the Captains will host the Quad Cities River Bandits for a six-game series. First pitch for Tuesday night’s series opener is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. from Classic Auto Group Park in Eastlake.
All six games will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App and MiLB.com, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.
About the Lake County Captains:
The Lake County Captains are the professional High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians located in Eastlake, Ohio. Our mission is to honor the rich history of our organization, while also introducing baseball to a new generation of fans through innovative means. We are committed to supporting our community, sports teams, and each other by demonstrating passion and having fun every day.