The Cleveland Guardians chosen Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana with the No. 1 decide within the 2024 Main League Baseball Draft on Sunday evening. Bazzana is the primary second baseman ever chosen atop the draft, and in addition the primary Australian-born participant ever chosen within the first spherical.
Bazzana had been Cleveland’s rumored favourite courting again to the spring. Clearly he remained on high into the summer time. CBS Sports activities just lately ranked Bazzana because the No. 2 prospect within the draft class. This is what we wrote on the time:
Coming into the spring, different entrance places of work believed the Guardians have been enamored with Bazzana to an extent that is seldom heard at that part of the draft cycle. Assuming there was reality to that notion, Bazzana supplied the Guardians no motive to change their stance. He had an exceptional 12 months, batting .416/.475/.937 with 28 dwelling runs and 16 stolen bases and 40 extra walks than strikeouts. Bazzana has above-average energy and velocity (although a substandard arm limits him to second base), a wonderful command of the strike zone, and pretty much as good of a really feel for barreling balls as any participant on this class. His make-up will get fawned over at each flip, even when he is typically docked for being maxed-out bodily. (One has to marvel what’s extra essential for a participant’s long-term success: bodily projection, or the metaphysical capacities for development?) In current weeks, the business is once more buzzing that Bazzana is the favourite to go No. 1. After all, the Tao Te Ching states: “Those that know don’t discuss, and talkers have no idea.” These choices do typically come right down to the ultimate hours, when bluffs exit the window and it is time to do enterprise. Ought to Bazzana be the decide, he would develop into the primary second baseman to go No. 1.
Bazzana, 21, slashed .407/.568/.911 with 28 dwelling runs and greater than twice as many walks (78) as strikeouts (37) in 60 video games this spring. Cleveland is in fact fairly properly set at second base with Andrés Giménez, however how all of the items match is one thing to fret about one other day. With the No. 1 decide, take one of the best participant, and type it out later.
The Guardians have been choosing first total for the primary time in franchise historical past. Cleveland had picked second on 5 events, most just lately in 1992, once they drafted right-hander Paul Shuey from UNC. The Guardians have additionally made 5 different top-five alternatives. You may learn all about these drafts by clicking right here.
Bazzana is the primary Beaver drafted within the first spherical since lefty Cooper Hjerpe in 2021. Moreover, he is the third top-five decide in program historical past, becoming a member of Adley Rutschman (No. 1, 2019) and Nick Madrigal (No. 4, 2018), in addition to the primary Australian-born participant chosen within the first spherical.