The Guardians owned the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB draft for the first time, and they used it Sunday night on Travis Bazzana .
Let's pump the brakes on pretending to know exactly what Bazzana will be at baseball's highest level. Instead of delivering a rapid ruling on how Bazzana's talent will translate to the majors after what could be years of additional development, this is an evaluation of Cleveland's strategy and Bazzana's projected fit with the franchise.
Without further ado, our instant draft grade can be found below.
Grade: A
Why: This pick is unprecedented in many ways. Bazzana became the first second baseman and first Australian-born player drafted first overall. It takes a special talent to pave the way, and Bazzana certainly has the requisite skill set on paper.
The 6-foot, 199-pound, left-handed-hitting Bazzana batted .360 (251-for-697) with 52 doubles, 45 home runs, 165 RBIs, 66 stolen bases, 180 walks, a .497 on-base percentage, a .660 slugging percentage and a 1.157 OPS in three seasons at Oregon State University. He became the school's all-time leader in hits, doubles, home runs, total bases (460), stolen bases and walks. By the way, it's an excellent program. Just ask Guardians All-Star outfielder Steven Kwan , who played at Oregon State from 2016-18.
Bazzana's background suggests he could possibly reach the majors more quickly than a typical prospect because he's an elite college hitter with notable polish.
More on Guardians at No. 1 overall: Travis Bazzana selected by Cleveland with top pick in 2024 MLB draft
Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said on Zoom the team views Bazzana as someone who possesses "the totality of ingredients" to become a successful hitter in the big leagues.
"He recognizes pitches exceedingly well," Antonetti said. "He knows the strike zone, makes good swing decisions. When he does choose to swing, he makes elite-level contact. And I think what's really grown in Travis' game over the past year or so is the ability to add impact to drive the ball, and we saw the benefits of that with increased power this year. We think he has a chance to be a really dynamic offensive player."
Bazzana will begin his days in the Guardians organization as a second baseman, but he's athletic enough to play other positions, too, Antonetti said.
In terms of character, Antonetti said Bazzana is "universally respected as a teammate," and Kwan verified the claim in his discussions with the Guardians.
With Bazzana checking so many boxes, it's natural to have a positive initial impression about this decision.
More MLB draft 2024: Other Cleveland Guardians picks from Day 1
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 2024 MLB draft grades: Travis Bazzana earns top grades for Guardians
