Guardians Front Office Reveals Why They Drafted Travis Bazzana With No. 1 Overall Pick

Chris Antonetti explains why the Cleveland Guardians chose Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick.

Oregon State's Travis Bazzana throws to first base against Tulane in the Corvallis Regional of the NCAA Tournament Friday, May 31, 2024, at Goss Stadium in Corvallis, Ore. / Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA TODAY

There was plenty of uncertainty heading into the draft on who the Cleveland Guardians would take with the number one overall pick. Chris Antonetti, President of Baseball Operations, even admitted that the organization decided who they'd take with just hours before the draft started.

Ultimately, Oregon State 2B Travis Bazzana was the pick as the Guardians get arguably the best overall player on the board.

What led Cleveland to selecting Bazzana? What was the reason they believed he should be a part of their organzation?

Antonetti broke down exactly what his team saw in Bazzana's game that made them want to take him first overall.

"We are thrilled to welcome Travis into the organization," said Antonetti. "As a player and person, we’ve had a great opportunity to know, not only over the course of the last few months, but over the course the last few years. We view him to be a dynamic player. He’s a guy that makes really good swing decisions, controls strikes really well, rarely swings and misses, and can really impact the baseball. We think he’s got a chance to impact the game in a variety of ways."

The on-field talent is clearly there with Bazzana, and he'll be a great fit with the Guardians. However, Antonetti revealed that the person Bazzana is off the field and his work ethic was something else stood out to them.

"But as impressive as he is as an athlete and as a player, he’s just as impressive or more impressive as a person," Antonetti continued. "He has been relentless from, I think the time he was three years old, to take advantage of every resource available to him to become the best baseball player he could possibly be. I think it’s a testament to his hard work and the support system that he’s had around to be able to get to this point. I know when talking with Travis, he’s excited for the opportunity to join an organization and join our organization and if you’ve heard him speak, he’s very passionate about the opportunity he has to help us win games and through that platform, elevate profile, baseball and Australia."

Oregon State's Travis Bazzana (37) celebrates after hitting the team's second solo home run during an NCAA college baseball game against Oregon at Goss Stadium on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Corvallis, Ore. / Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA TODAY

Antonetti would not give a timeline for when fans may see Bazzana at the big league level. However, because of his plate discipline and baseball IQ, he could quickly make his way through the farm system.