The Guardians selected Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana with the primary general choose of the 2024 newbie draft. Bazzana turns into the primary second baseman to ever go 1-1 within the draft, in addition to the primary Australian-born participant taken first general. That is additionally the primary time the Cleveland group has ever had the highest choice within the draft, because the Guardians beat the chances final December to win the draft lottery.
Cleveland performs its playing cards near the vest about its intentions with the highest choose, as a number of names have been linked to the Guards, together with some prospects a bit additional down the draft board. There was some thought that the Guardians may go along with a considerably less-regarded prospect who would take a below-slot signing bonus (the 1-1 choose has an assigned slot worth of $10,570,600), in order that the Guards may unfold their $18,334,000 bonus pool round to a number of gamers.
Whereas it stays to be seen how a lot Bazzana will land along with his bonus, it ended up being one thing of a chalk choose for the Guardians. Fangraphs, Baseball America, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, and The Athletic’s Keith Regulation all ranked Bazzana because the second-best prospect on this 12 months’s draft class, whereas MLB Pipeline ranked Bazzana on the prime of their record.
Bazzana (who turns 22 in August) had a handful of professional video games beneath his belt already, showing in 19 video games with the Sydney Blue Sox of the Australian Baseball League from 2018-20. Throughout his three seasons at Oregon State, Bazzana crushed NCAA pitching to the tune of 45 homers and a .360/.497/.660 slash line over 904 plate appearances. He added an MVP-level efficiency within the Cape Cod League final summer season, with a 1.037 OPS in 158 PA for Falmouth.
Pundits are united of their reward of Bazzana’s hitting skill, citing his superior strategy, bat pace, arduous contact charges, and plate self-discipline. (The latter issue may’ve significantly attracted the Guardians, who’ve lengthy prized batters who can put the ball in play and keep away from strikeouts.) Bazzana is already beginning to present extra energy, with 28 of his 45 Oregon State residence runs coming in his most up-to-date school season. Past what he can do on the plate, Bazzana’s plus pace makes him a menace on the basepaths, stealing 66 bases in 77 makes an attempt in school.
Protection is a little bit of a query mark, as second base has been one thing of a default place since Bazzana is taken into account each too athletic to be a primary base-only sort. Baseball America’s scouting report notes that he may doubtlessly play the outfield and even middle area resulting from his athleticism, and the presence of Andres Gimenez at second base in Cleveland point out that the Guardians could possibly be open to testing Bazzana at different positions. That mentioned, there’s a consensus that he’ll have the ability to hit every time he finally ends up on the sector.
The Guardians had a 76-88 document in 2023, and would’ve acquired the tenth general choose if the lottery picks adhered on to final season’s workforce data. Cleveland had solely a two p.c probability of profitable the primary general choose, and the Reds (who have been 82-80 in 2023) had one other stunning dose of lottery luck in profitable the second choose, making it fairly an evening for Ohio’s two Main League groups.
Within the second 12 months of the draft lottery’s existence, the Guardians’ shock win underscores the factor of randomness that has now been launched into the draft course of, and the vagaries concerned within the league’s need to curb tanking. Cleveland has been one in all baseball’s most constant profitable franchises over the past decade, but its one-year blip in type in 2023 has now paid off handsomely within the type of a blue-chip prospect like Bazzana. The Guards enter the All-Star break again in first place within the AL Central, so each the current and the longer term are wanting vibrant in Cleveland.