Bazzana gets some milestones out of the way

Travis Bazzana logged his first RBI in affiliated ball in his first game for High-A Lake County. In his second, he checked off a few more milestones.

The No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft – who is likely to rank among the Top 20 prospects in baseball once MLB Pipeline reveals its midseason rerank – notched his first knock, his first extra-base hit and his first multihit game in the Captains' 3-2 loss to the Great Lakes Loons at Dow Diamond.

"Not too much emotion, but definitely a good feeling to get the first one," Bazzana said.

After he was unable to get his first hit out of the way in his debut on July 26, Bazzana made quick work of the task on Sunday. Leading off for the Guardians' High-A affiliate, the former Oregon State Beaver fouled off each of the first two offerings from right-hander Jacob Meador before working the count to 2-2 and rocketing the fifth pitch he saw through the hole between first and second. He later came in to score on a bases-loaded walk, giving the Lake County the early lead.

"I feel good in the box, but I think I'm just working back a little bit to where I'd like to be," said Bazzana who hadn't had a live at-bat since June 9. "I think there's a little period right now where I'm trying to get my sights and my swing decisions right."

In addition to marking Bazzana’s first knock in the Minors, the single was also the first hit by a player from the 2024 Draft. He is the lone representative from that group to debut in affiliated baseball so far, taking the diamond just 12 days after being selected first overall. The quick turnaround from the Draft was of Bazzana's own design. As soon as the college season ended, he started ramping up his throwing and taking swings with a wood bat -- something he has used ever since his time in Australia.

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"Playing within a week or two [of the Draft] was kind of my goal," Bazzana said. "I communicated that with the Guardians once I was selected and they said, 'Yeah, if you're ready, and you've been training the right way, we would like to be appropriately aggressive with getting you out there and playing.'"

Just like in his debut, Bazzana played a scheduled seven innings. The limited playing time is part of the ramp-up process that will continue throughout the next week.

The Australia native’s next at-bat came just one frame later. Facing Meador for the second time, Bazzana attempted a check-swing on a 3-2 heater, but it was ruled a full-swing and a strikeout.

In the fifth, Bazzana came out on top. In his third and final at-bat vs. Meador, he belted a line drive into the left-center field gap. The 60-grade runner showed off his speed, racing to third for what was ruled a double with an advance to third on a fielding error.

Bazzana fanned in his final at-bat of the contest, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored – the only runs that Lake County posted in the contest. But he also showed some flair at second base on a sharply hit ball by Chris Newell in the bottom of the sixth.

"It's a definitely a step up as there's a lot of great arms out there," said Bazzana when asked about the competition in MiLB. "The Dodgers' High-A Great Lakes team that we just played, I mean, they had a lot of great stuff. A lot of guys upper 90s, a lot of guys with good secondaries. Definitely a jump up but it's a part of that transition period and I'm excited for the challenge."

The 21-year-old is coming off a record-setting career with Oregon State, where he set Beavers career marks in hits and home runs. During his 2024 campaign, he set single-season OSU records for runs scored (84), homers (28) and slugging percentage (.911), while ranking second in Division I in on-base percentage (.568), slugging and walks (76). He reached base in all 60 games he played and was named a 2024 Golden Spikes Award finalist and the Pac-12 Player of the Year.

As he embarks on his journey through the Minors and eventually the big leagues, Bazzana is focused on being himself and letting his play do the talking.

"Just continue to have a great process and go out and prepare well and play every game with fire, confidence and intensity," Bazzana said. "Let the outcomes be the outcomes and let everyone else control those variables, but just focus on playing winning baseball and being me out on the field."