Guardians Draft Travis Bazzana First in MLB Draft

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The Cleveland Guardians made a big move by picking Travis Bazzana from Oregon State as the No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. This is the first time the Cleveland team has had the top pick.

Bazzana is a talented player with great promise. He was picked before Georgia outfielder and third baseman Charlie Condon, who went to the Colorado Rockies at No. 3, and Wake Forest right-handed pitcher Chase Burns, who was picked by the Cincinnati Reds at No. 2.

The Guardians, now managed by Stephen Vogt, have been doing well this season. They spent 89 days in first place in their division. Vogt took over after longtime manager Terry Francona retired. MLB betting lines favor them for a spot in the 2024 postseason.

Cleveland got the first pick in the draft due to a lucky bounce in the draft lottery despite having only the ninth-best chance of winning.

The Guardians Draft Strategy

The draft started on Sunday evening and will continue over two days. Cleveland’s choice of Bazzana shows their strategy of picking strong hitters with great work ethics. Bazzana, a standout at Oregon State, fits the Guardians’ preference for middle infielders who make good contact and have great character.

We expect Bazzana to strengthen Cleveland’s lineup. He might form a solid middle infield pair with Andrés Giménez or move to the outfield with Steven Kwan, also from Oregon State. The Guardians’ decision to draft Bazzana shows their commitment to building a versatile and high-character team.

The Rest of the Draft

In the 2024 MLB Draft, many college players were picked early, with high school players not selected until the ninth pick when the Pittsburgh Pirates chose Konnor Griffin. This marked the latest point in the draft’s history for selecting a high school player.

Day 1 of the draft focused on position players, with pitchers becoming more common in the compensation and second rounds. Only seven pitchers were picked in the first round, with the Braves and  Padres choosing two high school pitchers back-to-back at picks 24 and 25.

Unique picks in the draft included Jac Caglianone from Florida, chosen by the Kansas City Royals as a two-way player. The New York Mets picked Carson Benge from Oklahoma State but listed him as an outfielder. The Seattle Mariners picked Jurrangelo Cijntje, a switch pitcher, at No. 15.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers each had four picks on Day 1. The Diamondbacks selected Kentucky outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt, Slade Caldwell,  shortstop JD Dix, and catcher Ivan Luciano, the first Puertorican to be drafted this season.

The Brewers picked high school outfielder Braylon Payne, Tennessee first baseman Blake Burke, Bryce Meccage, and Chris Levonas.

The Twins also had four picks: Kansas State shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, Louisiana-Lafayette shortstop Kyle DeBarge, Tennessee third baseman Billy Amick, and high school left-hander Dasan Hill.