Guardians’ Travis Bazzana, hailing from Australia’s Land Down Under, chats about the World Baseball Classic and the prospect of a big-league debut
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Australia, famous for kangaroos and the duck-billed platypus, is also home to a vibrant mix of sports: cricket, rugby, and Aussie Rules Football. Yet the distance to the United States is vast—about 9,000 miles—with a flight that can stretch to 16 hours. So how does a youngster from so far away ever imagine chasing one of America’s most iconic games—baseball?
Travis Bazzana isn’t entirely certain.
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“I don’t have a perfect answer,” Bazzana admitted after the Guardians wrapped up Friday’s workout at their Goodyear facility. “When I was growing up, I played rugby, soccer, cricket, and baseball with friends at school and in organized leagues. But I always dedicated myself to baseball—I just took to it naturally.”
Cleveland selected Bazzana with the franchise’s first-ever No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, awarding him a team-record signing bonus of $8.95 million. He arrived after starring at Oregon State, and the shot at a big league future carried heavy expectations that come with being the top pick.
In high school, Bazzana juggled baseball with cricket. The two bat-and-ball games share similarities, and he believes those parallel experiences helped his development.
“I have no doubt the hand-eye coordination—seeing the ball, tracking it, and deciding how to swing—transfers between the sports,” he said. “The swing pattern is different, but the core skill is the same: pick up the ball, decide where to place the bat. In the long run, those cross-sport experiences helped me.”
Being a franchise No. 1 pick always invites extra attention. The scrutiny intensified when players picked after him in the first round cracked the big leagues sooner. Last season, three of the four peers picked after Bazzana debuted in the majors: No. 2 Chase Burns (Reds), No. 4 Nick Kurtz (Athletics), and No. 6 Jac Caglianone (Royals). Kurtz stood out, earning American League Rookie of the Year honors with a .290 average, 36 home runs, and 86 RBIs.
Bazzana began the season at Double-A Akron, then moved up to Triple-A Columbus. However, injuries—left and right oblique strains—shelved him on the injured list and likely delayed his first major-league appearance.
He acknowledges the expectations on a No. 1 overall pick yet emphasizes perspective.
“There’s no extra pressure,” he noted. “There are expectations that come with being a prospect and the top pick, but at the end of the day, Mike Trout wasn’t a No. 1 pick. Many great players weren’t the first selection. People will always have different timelines. If Nick Kurtz or Konnor Griffin (Pittsburgh’s 2024 No. 1) are succeeding, that’s great for motivation. It proves I can be there soon.”
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said Bazzana will participate in three of Cleveland’s first four Cactus League games to prep for the World Baseball Classic. He’ll represent Team Australia in Tokyo, departing February 26 from San Francisco for the roughly 12-hour journey.
“I’m incredibly excited,” Bazzana said. “The tournament is short, but it offers a platform to show Australia—and the Australian baseball community—that we can compete on the world stage. It can inspire young players who sometimes feel they don’t have a path because the U.S. is so far away.”
Bazzana has previously played in Japan on international tours but has never yet taken the field in the Tokyo Dome. Australia is in Pool C, facing defending WBC champions Japan. The action begins March 5.
“The atmosphere will be unbelievable,” he said. “We’re hoping to face top-tier MLB pitching against Japan.”
Vogt was asked whether it might be better for Bazzana to stay with the Guardians or join Team Australia. His reply kept the door open: “I don’t think he’s missing anything by playing for his country. This is a fantastic opportunity for him.”
Last season, Bazzana hit .245 (74-for-302) with 17 doubles, five triples, nine homers, and 39 RBIs over 84 games. He also dealt with oblique injuries, straining his right side in July with Akron and his left in September with Columbus.
If all goes well this year, a big-league debut could be on the horizon. He has focused on keeping his primary position at second base, and Vogt has indicated that a change in position isn’t the plan for now.
“I’m not going to pretend I’m not thinking about a shot at the majors,” Bazzana said. “But I’m staying present. We’ve got a game coming up against Milwaukee tomorrow, which should be a strong kickoff to spring.”
The Guardians’ Cactus League schedule opens with split-squad games against Cincinnati and Milwaukee on Saturday, signaling the start of a new chapter for Bazzana and the organization as they gear up toward the World Baseball Classic.
