Guardians prospect Travis Bazzana, 2024 top overall pick, making his major league debut against Rays
CLEVELAND (AP) — Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 amateur draft, was set to make his major league debut for the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays after being called up from Triple-A Columbus. Bazzana will bat seventh and play second base.
He replaces Juan Brito, who was optioned to Triple-A Columbus. The 23-year-old Bazzana is the top prospect in the Guardians’ organization. He is batting .
287 with two home runs, 10 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 24 games for Columbus. He is leading the International League with nine doubles and is tied for first in extra-base hits with 15. He reached base safely in his last 13 games.
Bazzana — the first Australian player to be the top overall pick in the MLB draft — said he found out after the Clippers' doubleheader against Buffalo on Sunday that he was being called up. His parents, Gary and Jenny, already had decided to make the trip to the United States around this time and arrived Monday night. “My mom was smiling and crying at the same time.
Very excited, very emotional, and my dad was shocked and just very excited,” Bazzana said during a pregame news conference. Bazzana is the 14th player from the 2024 draft class to reach the majors. He is the ninth position player and the seventh top-10 pick.