Cleveland Guardians Officially Sign Entire 2024 Draft Class

On Saturday, Cleveland announced that it has signed each of its final 20 picks from the 2024 MLB Draft.

Jul 14, 2024; Ft. Worth, TX, USA; The Cleveland Guardians select Travis Bazzana with the first pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians selected 21 players in the 2024 MLB Draft, which were comprised of 16 pitchers and five position players.

After Travis Bazzana, the number one overall pick of the draft, signed with Cleveland back on July 19, the Guardians had yet to agree to contracts with their remaining 20 draft choices.

On Saturday, the team announced that it has signed each of its remaining 20 selections, meaning that Cleveland’s entire 2024 draft class is now under contract with the Guardians organization.

This announcement comes one day after Bazzana made his Minor League debut with the Lake County Captains, Cleveland’s High-A Affiliate.

Including Bazzana, the Guardians’ draft class is headlined by five of MLB.com’s 2024 Top 100 Baseball Draft Prospects. The four signed on Saturday were 36th-ranked RHP Braylon Doughty (CB-A), 42nd-ranked C Jacob Cozart (second round), 46th-ranked RHP Joey Oakie (fourth round), and 80th-ranked RHP Chase Mobley (10th round).

Jul 14, 2024; Ft. Worth, TX, USA; The Cleveland Guardians select Travis Bazzana with the first pick during the first round of the MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Additionally, the Guardians announced that they have signed a non-drafted free agent in right-handed pitcher Xavier Martinez out of USC. 

The 21-year-old made 31 relief appearances with the Trojans this year, going 4-0 with a 2.61 ERA, two saves, 58 strikeouts, 26 walks, and a .182 opposing batting average in 48.1 innings of work. 

Before his time at USC, Martinez spent his first two collegiate seasons at Cal State Northridge, where he was named 2023 Big West Honorable Mention. The right-hander made 42 relief appearances with the Matadors, going 6-1 with a 2.63 ERA, one save, 65 strikeouts, 27 walks, and a .222 opposing batting average in 65 innings of work.