Analyst Shares Debut Prediction For Guardians Top Prospect

CBS Sports projects Travis Bazzana to debut for the Cleveland Guardians during the 2026 MLB season.

Jun 9, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Oregon State Beavers infielder Travis Bazzana (37) throws the ball during the second inning against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians have a bright future ahead of them. They're coming off their first ALCS appearances in eight years and still have one of the youngest rosters in baseball.

One of the most exciting parts of this future is the prospects who could make their major league debut sooner than later.

R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports put together a new top-25 prospect ranking heading into the 2025 season and provided an ETA for each prospect.

For Travis Bazzana, Cleveland's No. 1 ranked prospect, Anderson believes his debut will come in the spring of 2026.

Here's what he had to say about Bazzana, his skillset, and his future:

"The Guardians' love for Bazzana was a poorly kept secret within the industry, with several talent evaluators identifying him to CBS Sports as the likely No. 1 pick before the college season even got underway. Whether or not the Guardians ever wavered on their selection is for them to know, but Bazzana did his part to keep them engaged," wrote Anderson.

Check out CBS Sports full prospect ranking and debut predictions here.

Jun 9, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Oregon State Beavers infielder Travis Bazzana (37) hits a foul ball during the first inning against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Hearing the Bazzana may not make his debut until 2026 may not be the answer most Guardians fans were hoping for. However, this prediction does make sense when considering the larger picture.

Bazzana showed flashes of potential during his short minor-league stint at High-A. However, he did only hit .238/.369/.396 with an OPS of .765 in 101 at-bats, with the Captains in 2024 demonstrating some key areas of improvement.

With all that being said, Bazzana said in a recent interview that he's prepared to move quickly through the Guardians' farm system.

If the 22-year-old proves that he can help the major league team right now, the front office may be forced to call him up earlier than spring 2026.