Travis Bazzana: MLB’s top draft pick redefining Australia’s place in baseball

Travis Bazzana might not have grown up in a baseball-mad country, but that didn’t stop him from making waves in one of the toughest sports scenes in the world. Fast forward to 2024, and Bazzana is not just a rising star – he's the Cleveland Guardians' top draft pick and one of the most exciting young talents to watch.

From his early days in Australia to now professionally playing baseball in the United States, there are few stories like Bazzana's in the world of sports. Let's take a look at how his grit, adaptability, and pure talent took him from the suburbs of Sydney to the eyes of Major League Baseball.

Bazzana's baseball journey started thousands of miles from the bright lights of the MLB. Born in Sydney, Australia, he didn’t have the same pathway to professional baseball as most American players. Down under, baseball takes a backseat to sports like cricket and rugby league, but Bazzana quickly showed that he had a different calling.

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Bazzana quickly showed that he had a different calling. At age 5 he had declared baseball as his "dream job", according to MLB media. By age 15, he dominated the Australian baseball scene – playing alongside grown men in the Australian Baseball League, which caught the attention of American college scouts.

His big break came when he joined the Oregon State Beavers in the NCAA in 2022, aged 20. There, Bazzana really started to turn heads, racking up impressive stats and showing off his all-around game. He wasn’t just a one-trick pony – his combination of speed, hitting ability, and fielding made him stand out among the crowd, according to Sports Illustrated.

By the time the 2024 MLB Draft rolled around in July, it was no surprise that Bazzana was Cleveland's top pick, having been tipped by the likes of ESPN and Fox Sports for months leading up to the draft.

The Cleveland Guardians wasted no time snapping up Bazzana in the 2024 draft. Bazzana's versatility is his biggest selling point, according to Cleveland sports writer and analyst Terry Pluto. He’s capable of playing multiple infield positions—combined with his bat-to-ball skills, speed, and baseball smarts, making him a dream prospect for the MLB.

Or, as Pluto put it: "Bazzana isn’t just another player — he's a cornerstone for the Guardians as they look to develop their next wave of talent."

After being drafted, it didn’t take long for Bazzana to prove he’s the real deal. In his first year as a pro, playing for the Guardians’ minor league affiliates the Captains, he quickly became one of their top performers. His knack for getting on base, combined with his quick feet and sharp baseball instincts, made him a key player in his team’s playoff run​.

Playing baseball in October is something every player dreams of, and Bazzana will get a glimpse of it in 2024 as the Guardians secured their place in the playoffs. While it's unlikely Bazzana, who is yet to make his debut for the major league team, will get a call-up, he will certainly be brought into the folds of the team to get a little look at what life is like at the pointy end of an MLB season.

Though he’s yet to make his official MLB debut, all signs point to Bazzana becoming a key player for the Guardians in the near future – and Bazanna is looking to go all the way in his 'dream job', looking at a future that extends well beyond his years.

"The premise of everything I want to achieve is I want to make Australia a powerhouse in baseball," he told MLB of his ambitions. "It's not going to come from me, but I want to start that trend."

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