Predicting Guardians 2025 Opening Day Lineup, Post MLB Draft Edition

Will Travis Bazzana make the Cleveland Guardians Opening Day roster next season?

A C-130 Hercules flown by the 910th Airlift Wing out of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station flies over Progressive Field before the Cleveland Guardians’ home opener against the Chicago White Sox, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

There are so many reasons to be excited about the Cleveland Guardians' selection of Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. 

Now that the Guardians have made their selection, let’s look nine months into the future at what their starting lineup could look like during Opening Day in 2025.

Potential 2025 Guardians Starting Lineup

Steven Kwan - LF
Travis Bazzana - 2B
Jose Ramirez - 3B
Josh Naylor - 1B
Angel Martinez - CF
Andres Gimenez - SS
David Fry  - RF
Kyle Manzardo - DH
Bo Naylor - C

Travis Bazzana

The obvious standout here is Bazzana making the big league debut out of spring training. Is he a lock to be on the Opening Day roster? No. But Chris Antonetti talked very highly about his plate discipline after he was drafted, and given that he’ll be 22 next April, it certainly isn’t impossible for this to happen.

 If Bazzana does make the team, the best spot in the lineup for him would be behind Kwan and in front of Ramirez. Bazzana got on base at a high rate at Oregon State, and his walk rate was just as impressive as hit hitting ability. 

A trio of Kwan-Bazzana-Ramirez at the top of the order would force the opposing starting pitcher to throw a lot of pitches before they get through the first inning.

Antonetti also mentioned that Bazzana will come up in the organzation as a second baseman. Obviously, the Guardians already have Andres Gimenez there, but the Platnium Glove winner may fit even better at shortstop which is his original position.

Angel Martinez

One of the other bold choices here is keeping Angel Martinez at center field. Martinez has been quite impressive both on offense and defense over his first few weeks in the big leagues and is making a strong case to be in the everyday lineup moving forward. 

Will center field be his position of the future? Time will tell. But as for now, Martinez looks like a piece of the Guardians' future beyond just this season.

David Fry 

David Fry’s name in the right field may be surprising to some, but he was named an All-Star for the first time in his career this season, even though he’s struggled on the plate over the last month. 

Still, Fry hit .383/.513/.750 with seven home runs and 18 RBI in May demonstrating the impact he can have on a lineup when he’s hot. If Fry can refind his swing post-All-Star break and provide Naylor and Ramirez the protection he did at the beginning of the season, it would be shocking if he wasn’t in the Opening Day lineup in 2025.

Jun 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) celebrates with second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) after hitting a home run during the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports / Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Obviously, so much can and wil change by the time March, 2025 rolls around, but there’s so much to be excited about with this team its hard not to think about what their lineup over the next few years may look like.