Cleveland Guardians First-Round Pick Receives Major MLB Comparison
![Jun 9, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Oregon State Beavers infielder Travis Bazzana (37) strikes out during the seventh inning against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kentucky Proud Park. Jun 9, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Oregon State Beavers infielder Travis Bazzana (37) strikes out during the seventh inning against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kentucky Proud Park.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3991,h_2244,x_0,y_113/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/cleveland_baseball_insider/01j2td6105ve404s3grr.jpg)
The Cleveland Guardians made it official on Sunday evening, selecting Oregon State star infielder Travis Bazzana with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
Bazzana is now one of the faces of the future for the Guardians. He has legitimate superstar potential both at the plate and with his glove.
While fans will have to wait for at least a couple of years to see Bazzana playing at the big league level, he is expecetd to rise through the organization quickly. It will still be fun to watch him develop until he's ready to make his leap into the majors.
Bleacher Report took a look at Bazzana and even ended up making a major MLB comparison. That comparison was former baseball star Grady Sizemore.
"MLB Pipeline describes Bazzana as having 'an advanced approach at the plate, with a ton of raw power,' adding that he's a 'legitimate basestealing threat.' He's 6-foot, 199 pounds and his combination of power and speed is reminiscent of three-time All-Star Grady Sizemore, who played at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds."
If Bazzana can live up to that comparison, Cleveland will end up being satisfied with their selection. However, he looks to have an even higher ceiling than Sizemore.
During the 2024 college baseball season with the Beavers, Bazzana ended up playing in 60 games. He ended up batting .407/.568/.911 to go along with 28 home runs and 66 RBI. In addition to those numbers, he also stole 16 bases.
Those numbers offer just a slight insight into what Guardians' fans can expect to see from their young rising star.
Hopefully, his development goes smoothly and he can live up to the hype of rising through the organization quickly. Bazzana was the best player in the 2024 MLB Draft. Cleveland got the pick right.
Expect to see him live up to the hype. He is a hard worker, has a great head on his shoulders, and his talent is real. He won't end up making the franchise regret their decision.