Guardians Urged to Draft Oregon State Standout Second Baseman

No one seems to know who the Cleveland Guardians will select with the first overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. Cleveland is considering over half a dozen options for their pick. The top-tier candidates include Travis Bazzana, Charlie Condon, JJ Wetherholt and possibly Jac Caglianone. There is a rumor that Wetherholt may be the choice, with a $2 million discount. Keith Law of The Athletic crafted his final mock draft heading into Sunday’s draft. One particular player from Oregon State is making the case to be the first pick.

Guardians Select Travis Bazzana in Final Mock Draft

“The last I heard about Cleveland had still considering a very – too long? – list of options for this pick, north of a half-dozen names, although I think Bazzana, Charlie Condon, and JJ Wtherholt may be the top tier, possibly including Jac Caglianone as well. The Wetherholt rumor has been flying this week with a $2 million discount attached. If you believe his hamstring injuries are not a harbinger of future durability issues, it’s a smart play.”

Bazzana, a native of Syndey, Australia, sits atop of Law’s final mock draft, but he did have the Guardians taking Condon in previous mock drafts. Ayrton Ostly of USA Today predicts that the Guardians will take Bazzana.

Travis Bazzana Draft Profile

Scouting grades: Hit: 65| Power: 60| Run: 60| Arm: 50| Field: 50| Overall: 65

The left-handed-hitting infielder can make an immediate impact with his compact and strong play that comes with plenty of bat speed. Bazzana has an advanced approach at the plate with raw power, but he can fall to offspeed stuff on the outer half. He’s proven he can hit left-handed pitchers along with right-handers, which could allow him to avoid a platoon. Some scouts are concerned about where Bazzana can play defensively, but they think he’s going to be playing at second base. Bazzana’s athleticism helps him have good range and has enough arm for the position to turn in double players effectively.

Impressive Impact in College

The Oregon State staff caught Bazzana during a showcase in Arizona in 2018, offering him a scholarship. By the end of his tenure, Bazzana had set eight school career records, thanks to a junior season where he hit .407 and established new single-season standards for home runs (28), runs (84), walks (76), total bases (195) and slugging percentage (.911). In three seasons at Oregon State, he posted a .360/.497/.660 line with 46 home runs, 165 RBI, and 66 stolen bases while striking out 146 times.

Remaining Top Ten Picks in Mock Draft

1. Clevleand Guardians: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
2. Cincinnati Reds: Charlie Condon, OF, Georgia
3. Colorado Rockies, Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
4. Oakland Athletics: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
5. Chicago White Sox: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
6. Kansas City Royals: JJ Wehterholt, SS, West Virginia
7. St. Louis Cardinals: Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake HS (Studio City, Calif.)
8. Los Angeles Angels: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
9. Pittsburgh Pirates: Braden Montgomery: OF, Texas A&M
10. Washington Nationals: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
11. Detroit Tigers: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
12. Boston Red Sox: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson (Miss.) Prep
13. San Francisco Giants: James Tibbs III, OF, Flordia State
14. Chicago Cubs: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
15. Seattle Mariners: Jurrangelo Cijntje, BHP, Mississppi State
16. Miami Marlins: Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
17. Milwaukee Brewers: Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky
18. Tampa Bay Rays: Theo Gillen, SS/2B, Westlake HS (Austin, Texas)
19. New York Mets: Carson Benge, OF/RHP, Oklahoma State
20. Toronto Blue Jyas: Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa
21. Minnesota Twins: Seaver King, SS/OF, Wake Forest
22. Baltimore Orioles: Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee HS (Wauchla, Fla.)
23. Los Angeles Dodgers: Ryan Sloan, RHP, York Community HS (Elmhurst, Ill.)
24. Atlanta Braves: Carter Johnson, SS, Oxford HS (Ala.)
25. San Diego Padres: Tyson Lewis, SS, Millard West HS (Omaha, Neb.)
26. New York Yankees: Tommy White, 3B LSU
27. Phialdelphia Phillies: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
28. Houston Astros: Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston State
29. Arizona Diamondbacks: Kyle DeBarge, SS, Louisiana-Lafayette
30. Texas Rangers: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford

Main Photo: © Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports