AB | 43 |
---|---|
AVG | .256 |
OBP | .418 |
SLG | .442 |
HR | 1 |
- Full name Travis Bazzana
- Born 08/28/2002 in
- Profile Ht.: 5'9" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: L / Throws: R
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Drafted in the 1st round (1st overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 2024 (signed for $8,950,000).
View Draft Report
School: Oregon State
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.9
BA Grade: 60/High
Tools: Hit: 65. Power: 55. Run: 60. Field: 50. Arm: 45.
Bazzana has put on a hitting clinic in three years at Oregon State. The Australia native played in the college summer West Coast League as an 18-year-old in 2021 and excelled, setting the stage for a strong freshman season in 2022. Bazzana hit over .300 in each college season and improved year over year, culminating in a 2024 campaign in which he battled Georgia’s Charlie Condon for the best overall offensive season in the country. A 6-foot, 199-pound lefthanded hitter and second baseman, Bazzana’s offensive profile is built around his elite bat-to-ball skills. He has an unusual-looking swing with a deep bat tip behind his shoulder and a sizable leg kick, but he has always found the barrel at a high clip and produced an 84% contact rate in his three seasons with the Beavers. He pairs that skill with a savvy approach at the plate and strong swing decisions, helping him walk more than he struck out in his career. In 2024, his excellent 25.8% walk rate ranked second only to Nick Kurtz for the best among Division I hitters. Bazzana added more home run power in his draft season as well, going from 11 home runs in 2023 to 28 in 2024, with a corresponding increase in his exit velocity data. Bazzana’s swing seems optimized to maximize the power he does have, and while he’s nearly maxed-out physically, he might be the sort of player who always makes the most of his natural raw power. Bazzana is a plus runner and strong athlete who should be able to play second base, though he frequently throws with an odd sidearm slot that some scouts question. He could be athletic enough to play center field as well. Bazzana has all-star upside and is the best prospect from Oregon State since Adley Rutschman in 2019—with a chance to match his No. 1 overall status on draft day.
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Draft Prospects
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School: Oregon State Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.9
Bazzana has done nothing but hit since his college career kicked off, and is now viewed as one of the premier hitters in the 2024 class. Before he got to campus at Oregon State, the Australian native played in the West Coast League where he slashed .429/.471/.593 with 18 doubles and 18 stolen bases. He has hit over .300 in both of his seasons with Oregon State, enters the 2023 season as a career .340/.463/.549 hitter with the Beavers and during the 2023 summer won the MVP award in the Cape Cod League where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect of the field. A 6-foot, 197-pound lefthanded hitter and second baseman, Bazzana has an unusual looking swing with a deep bat tip behind his shoulder, a sizable leg kick and a flat path, but his contact skills are excellent and he pairs that with an advanced approach and standout swing decisions. He’s made contact at a 79% overall rate in two seasons with Oregon State, and hammers the ball on a line to all fields. Bazzana has improved his power year over year thanks to added physicality, though most of his home run power goes to the pull side in games. Defensively, he is a strong athlete and above-average defender at second base, though when he throws he has a tendency to drop down to a fully sidearm slot, which could create some questions moving forward. Bazzana is a plus runner with great instincts on the bases and has gone 50-for-56 (89.3%) in his college career.