The Cleveland Guardians are in the coveted position of being present-day contenders while simultaneously building an exciting future. 2024 No. 1 draft pick Travis Bazzana may be the perfect fit for the club, and he's saying all the right things to endear himself to the fanbase.
Bazzana explained what impresses him about the Guardians, via Bally Sports Cleveland.
“I know how consistently successful the organization's been over the years,” Bazzana said. “I know how smart and in-depth and well-resourced the organization is from the top. I know the identity and culture of the big league team…I don't know it to that extent, I mean I haven't been in the clubhouse, but I know that it's a quality environment. I know that they're young, they play the game with fire. Like, it's a lot of these things that tick boxes in my head and make me really excited to be a Guardian.”
Bazzana didn't give out empty compliments, as Cleveland's had nine winning seasons in the last 11 years. Six of those have been playoff campaigns, with a World Series appearance in 2016.
This year, the squad has an AL-best 58-37 record, good for a 4.5-game lead in the Central. Adding Bazzana could give it another future star to compliment the All-Star duo of Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan, which could be the last piece it needs to win the elusive championship.
What makes Bazzana the perfect fit for Cleveland?
Travis Bazzana's profile fits with the Guardians' style
A common criticism of the modern MLB is its over-emphasis on power hitting, as there are only 12 players in the league with a batting average of .300 or above. One of them is Kwan, who leads the league with an astronomical .352 mark.
Cleveland, though, still employs contact hitting and speedy base running as main tactics, with power being a secondary priority. Bazzana fits that bill as a five-tool player, via MLB.com's Mandy Bell.
“In 2022, he was named a First Team Freshman All-American by the likes of Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game, and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), thanks to his .902 OPS.,” Bell wrote. “The next year, he hit a team-high .374 and was a Collegiate Baseball Second Team All-American.”
The Oregon State alum's star was still rising, though.
“Bazzana’s junior season was the best of all, as he finished with a preposterous .407/.568/.911 batting line, finishing second nationally in OPS behind Georgia’s Charlie Condon and being a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, which Condon won,” Bell continued.
Of course, Bazzana won't hit .400 against big-league pitching. However, his prolific slash line in college sets an exciting foundation for his professional development, especially when combining the other elements of his game. The first-ever Australian No. 1 pick set the school record for home runs, with 60 in three years, as well as single-season steals, with 36. He hit 28 homers in just 60 games played last season and finished his Beavers tenure with 180 walks to just 146 strikeouts.
The Guardians' first-ever No. 1 pick will take some time to work up the minor-league ranks but don't be surprised if he's their everyday second baseman in three or four years.
Follow Us
Subscribe
