Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday. He’s the first second baseman to ever be drafted with the top overall selection.
Bazzana was ranked by Yahoo Sports’ Jordan Shusterman as the top player available in the 2024 draft class.
As a hitter, Bazzana stands out for his electric bat speed and fantastic understanding of what pitches he can and should do damage on. That aptitude in the box expands to his ability to make subtle swing changes and his offseason training, in which he has exhibited the drive to maximize his offensive potential within the confines of his relatively small stature. And the results have been sensational: Bazzana launched 28 home runs as a junior after hitting a combined 17 over his first two seasons with the Beavers, all while walking roughly twice as often as he struck out.
As a junior, Bazzana batted .407 (eighth-best in the nation) with a 1.479 OPS, 28 home runs, 66 RBI and 16 stolen bases. The Sydney, Australia native holds the Oregon State records for most home runs in a single season (28) and the most in program history (45). Additionally, Bazzana is the Beavers’ all-time leader in hits with 251.
His arm will likely limit him to second base defensively, but he has the range to play well there. A future in the outfield is also possible because of his speed – resulting in 66 stolen bases in college – according to Shusterman.
Defensively, Bazzana’s below-average arm limits him to second base, but he’s rangy enough to stick at the keystone long-term. Perhaps a future in the outfield is in store eventually, but I’m eager to see how his speed plays in pro ball, as his stolen base totals fluctuated from 14 to 36 to 16 over his three college seasons.
However, Bazzana was absolutely selected for his bat. He already has experience hitting with a wood bat, playing the 2021 season in the West Coast League and winning MVP honors with a .429 average, 1.064 OPS, 18 doubles and 27 RBI.
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