MLB Draft 2024: Cleveland selects Travis Bazzana with the No. 1 overall pick

The top player from the land down under is on his way to Cleveland.

The Cleveland Guardians have selected second baseman Travis Bazzana out of Oregon State University with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. A native of Australia, Bazzana was ranked the No. 1 prospect in the draft.

Here’s what MLB Pipeline had to say about him:

A native of Sydney, Australia, Bazzana came to the United States and immediately made an impact with a .902 OPS as a freshman. He upped that to 1.122 with 11 homers and 36 steals a year later, then raised his profile even more when he won the Cape Cod League batting title (.375) and MVP Award, putting him near the top of most Draft boards.

The left-handed-hitting infielder is compact and strong with plenty of bat speed. He has an advanced approach at the plate with a ton of raw power he taps into, though he can occasionally be susceptible to offspeed stuff on the outer half. He’s proven he can hit lefties as well as righties. A plus runner, he’s a legitimate base-stealing threat.

While some worry about where he can play defensively, some scouts think he’s going to be just fine at second base. His athleticism helps him have good range, he has enough arm for the spot and he can turn the double play effectively. A second-base profile isn’t one often seen at the top of a Draft, but the conviction in his bat is so strong, he’s going to get a lot of attention in the top 10.

MLB Pipeline grades Bazzana with a 65 hit tool, 60 power, 60 speed, a 50 arm and 50 for fielding with an overall grade of 65.

For more information about Bazzana, Driveline Baseball put out a video earlier today describing his journey to draft day:

What are your thoughts on the pick? How would you grade it?