Travis Bazzana is finally set to make his major league debut.
The Cleveland Guardians plan to call up Bazzana on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The former No. 1 overall pick will take over at second base for the Guardians, starting with their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
Bazzana was selected with the top pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, which marked the Guardians’ only No. 1 selection in franchise history despite them entering the lottery with just a 2% chance at earning the top pick. Bazzana was just the eighth second baseman to go in the top 10 in the MLB Draft, and the first to ever be selected first.
Bazzana has shined at the Triple A level so far this season. The 23-year-old holds a .287 batting average with 10 RBI and two home runs in 24 outings with the Guardians’ Triple A affiliate in Columbus. Bazzana missed two months with an oblique strain last summer, which undoubtedly delayed his move up to the Guardians.
Bazzana will take over at second on Tuesday, and the team intends to option Juan Brito to make room for him.
The Guardians will enter Tuesday’s contest having lost four of their last five games, including a 3-2 loss to the Rays on Monday night. The Rays rallied out of a two-run hole late, thanks to a solo shot from Jonathan Aranda and an RBI single from Ryan Vilade in the eighth inning. The Guardians now sit at 15-15 on the season, but are only half of a game back from first place in the AL Central race.
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