Travis

Bazzana

It comes in a losing effort, but it’s another impressive game from Bazzana. One of the homers was a grand slam, the other a solo shot off Robbie Ray an inning earlier. Bazzana has hit .381/.435/.857 in Arizona; a friendly reminder that this was the first pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. He likely begins the season in the minors, but it’d be an upset if he wasn’t starting at second base by the end of 2026. There’s some fantasy upside here for this season and obviously beyond.

All three of Bazzana’s at-bats produced balls in play in excess of 101 mph, but the double was sandwiched between a groundout and a GIDP. With his .897 OPS in Guardians camp, he’s made an argument to open up as the team’s second baseman. Still, they’ve already committed to sticking him in the minors to begin the year and will likely go with a double play combo of Brayan Rocchio (career 75 OPS+) at second and Gabriel Arias (career... well, wouldn’t you know it, 75 OPS+) at shortstop.

Bazzana won’t be officially reassigned for a couple days but the first-overall selection from the 2024 MLB Draft won’t break camp in the majors. The 23-year-old second baseman was away for most of the spring competing for Australia in the World Baseball Classic. He’ll open the minor league season back at Triple-A Columbus and figures to ascend to the big leagues at some point in the second half, if not sooner.

With Samurai Japan as the heavy favorite and Team Czechia as a big underdog, it should come down to Korea, Australia and Chinese Taipei for the second slot to advance out of Pool C. Australia might have the edge now after Alex Wells, Jack O’Loughlin and Jon Kennedy limited Chinese Taipei to just three hits while throwing three innings apiece. Bazzana’s homer was hit 383 feet off Yi Chang.

The homer was hit 107.8 mph and 423 feet off a 98.5-mph fastball from Edgardo Henríquez. Bazzana will soon head off to play for Australia in the World Baseball Classic, which probably won’t help his slim chances of pulling off a long shot bid for the second base gig in Cleveland. The 2024 first overall pick probably needs some more time in Triple-A anyway, but the Guardians don’t have much standing in his way.

That’s probably the right plan. Rocchio played second, with Arias at short, after returning from the minors last July. Arias, though, just hasn’t looked like a big-league regular, and while Rocchio still has much to prove, too, he’s the more intriguing player at this point. The news suggests the Guardians could aim for a stopgap in second while waiting on 2024 first overall pick Travis Bazzana. Or perhaps Bazzana could have a shot of winning the job in spring training, even if his participation for Team Australia in the WBC probably won’t help there.

The injury potentially eliminates the possibility of Bazzana joining Cleveland’s postseason roster. There should be an update on the severity of the issue at some point in the coming days. The 23-year-old top prospect was in the midst of an extended hot streak at the Triple-A level, batting .290 with four homers in nine games since the start of September.

Bazzana could be an option for Cleveland heading into the postseason as he continues to swing a hot bat on the doorstep of the majors. The first-overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft notched his first multi-homer performance in this one and has gone 10-for-32 with five extra-base hits, including three home runs, over his last eight games at the Triple-A level.

The two-run homer in a 3-3 game with Bazzana’s first in 20 games since moving up to Columbus. The 2024 No. 1 overall pick is batting .214/.415/.357 in 95 plate appearances. That breaks down as 15 hits and 23 walks. He previously hit .256/.364/.426 with five homers in 228 plate appearances in Double-a.

The top-overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Bazzana has quietly put himself in the mix for a late-season call-up to Cleveland, reaching base safely in seven of eight contests since arriving at the Triple-A level. The 22-year-old second baseman would provide a jolt for the Guardians if they decide to give him a taste of the majors at some point during the final five weeks. He’s probably not a fantasy superstar, but he does a little bit of everything well and will be eligible at one of the weakest position groups in the landscape.