On Monday, the Cleveland Guardians announced that they promoted second baseman and the organization’s top prospect, Travis Bazzana, to Major League Baseball.
Bazzana, 23, was the first overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Oregon State University. He became the first Australian-born player to be selected with the top pick and will likely make his MLB debut on Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays in front of the Cleveland faithful at Progressive Field.
In 24 games at Triple-A Columbus, Bazzana hit .287/.422/.511 with two home runs, eight RBIs, and eight stolen bases. He spent most of the 2025 season at Double-A Akron, hitting .256/.364/.426 with five home runs while carrying a 24.1% strikeout rate in 51 games.
To date, the left-handed hitter is already the 10th player from the 2024 draft class to get the call to the big leagues. The other nine are right-hander Chase Burns (Cincinnati Reds), right-hander Trey Yesavage (Toronto Blue Jays), first baseman Nick Kurtz (Athletics), outfielder Jac Caglianone (Kansas City Royals), second baseman JJ Wetherholt (St. Louis Cardinals), second baseman Christian Moore (Los Angeles Angels), shortstop Konnor Griffin (Pittsburgh Pirates), outfielder Cam Smith (Houston Astros), and outfielder Carson Benge (New York Mets).
Bazzana had a busy offseason that included a trip to the World Baseball Classic to play for Team Australia. He hit just .188/.235/.375 in 17 trips to the plate, but the slash line does not tell the full story, as he hit a solo home run in the seventh inning of a 3-0 opening win against Chinese Taipei.
The Guardians hope he is a mainstay in their lineup for years to come, providing power and speed while playing lockdown defense at second base. Bazzana’s long journey from Australia to the Majors has concluded.
Photo: This is a 2026 photo of Travis Bazzana of the Cleveland Guardians MLB baseball team taken Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Goodyear, Ariz. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson,File)
