Guardians' Top Prospect Confident, Diligent At First Spring Training

The first overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft played 60 college games at Oregon State, 32 Minor League games with the High-A Lake County Captains (including postseason), and another five contests for Team Australia in the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament this past November.

Ahead of his first full campaign with the Guardians organization, many are wondering when Bazzana will make his way to the Majors. In a recent article by MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince, the 22-year-old said he believes that if he plays relaxed and competitively, it could potentially be sooner versus later.

“When I play freely and am playing with that edge of wanting to win and playing for the guy next to me, good things happen,” Bazzana told Castrovince. “I’m not saying this in an arrogant way, but, if I’m doing that, there’s not going to be much stopping me. … If I can do that every day, it’s not going to take long.”

Good things certainly happened for the Cleveland organization in Bazzana's first dose of Minor League Baseball, as he helped High-A Lake County win the 2024 Midwest League Championship after joining the team in late July last year.

Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt also shared how Cleveland's first-ever number one overall pick in franchise history is already focused and willing to learn from the organization, and that the team is looking forward to seeing him in action this spring.

"It’ll be fun for everybody,” Vogt said to Castrovince. “Anytime you’re a 1-1, you know there’s going to be eyes on you. But he doesn’t seem to let that affect him. He’s a very curious learner, he’s highly motivated to be great, and he’s a sponge.”

Castrovince also writes that while Cleveland has many MLB-ready options at second base, Bazzana could still possibly see Cactus League action for the Guardians this spring. Time will tell if this is the case, but regardless, Cleveland fans will be looking forward to how the highly touted prospect fares in his first career Spring Training.

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