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Guardians choose Travis Bazzana as their first pick in the MLB Draft
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    Guardians choose Travis Bazzana as their first pick in the MLB Draft

    The Cleveland Guardians have selected infielder Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. 

    Bazzana, a native of Sydney, Australia, is the first Aussie ever to be selected in the first round of the MLB draft and is Cleveland’s first-ever top selection in the franchise’s 123-year history. 

    The Oregon State product is coming off a strong season in his junior year with the Beavers where he batted .407 with 28 homers and 66 RBI’s. 

    The 21-year-old’s vision at the plate was also put on display throughout 2024, with Bazzana finishing the campaign with a team-leading 76 walks and just 37 strikeouts through 296 plate appearances. 

    Bazzana collected an array of accolades in his final season with the Beavers, including the PAC-12 Conference Player of The Year Award. Bazzana was also a finalist for the 2024 Golden Spikes Award which was given to Georgia’s Charlie Condon ahead of last month’s College World Series. 

    The former cricket player left Australia to join Oregon State’s storied baseball program in 2022 and will join Cleveland’s Steven Kwan as the only other OSU alumni on the roster. 

    He joins Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman as the only Beavers to be selected first overall at the draft.

    If he is to appear in a major league game this season, Bazzana will become just the 38th Australian-born player to ascend to the summit of professional baseball. 

    Baseball’s top pick this year had a slot value of $10,570,600 under the bonus pools system that began in 2012.

    Cleveland had the top pick for the first time since the draft began in 1965, winning a weighted lottery in December despite having a 2 per cent chance. The lottery began last year as part of a collective bargaining agreement provision to discourage struggling teams from deliberately trying for a top draft pick by getting rid of veterans.

    — With files from the Associated Press

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    The Guardians made a bold move by selecting Travis Bazzana as their first pick in the MLB Draft. The 18-year-old pitcher from Georgia has been turning heads with his impressive fastball and sharp breaking ball.

    Bazzana, who stands at 6’3″ and weighs 200 pounds, has been dominating on the high school baseball circuit, posting a 1.20 ERA and striking out over 100 batters in just 60 innings pitched. His combination of size, velocity, and command on the mound has scouts raving about his potential at the next level.

    The Guardians saw something special in Bazzana and believe he has the tools to become a top-tier pitcher in the majors. With their first pick in the draft, they decided to take a chance on the young phenom and add him to their farm system.

    Bazzana will likely start off in the minor leagues to further develop his skills and gain experience against more advanced competition. But with his raw talent and work ethic, it’s only a matter of time before he makes his way to the big leagues.

    Fans of the Guardians should be excited about the addition of Bazzana to their organization. He has the potential to be a game-changer on the mound and could play a key role in the team’s success in the years to come. Keep an eye out for Travis Bazzana as he continues his journey towards the major leagues.