This experience could help Travis Bazzana when he eventually makes his debut with the Cleveland Guardians.
The Cleveland Guardians, obviously, had high expectations for Travis Bazzana when they selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.
There’s definitely been some highs so far through his minor league career, like helping the Lake County Captains win the Midwest League Championship. However, there have been some lows, too. For example, the oblique injury that caused him to miss almost two months during the 2025 season, and some early struggles at the plate.
After Bazzana was named MLB’s No. 20 overall prospect heading into 2026, analyst and former GM Steve Phillips talked about whether he is concerned about the prospect's future.
“I don't worry too much about the batting average. I think, listen, the on-base percentage is excellent for him, about .380, getting on base, and some pop in the bat,” explained Phillips. “Bazzana, [he’s] got legit power to be able to drive the wall to the ballpark; [the Guardians] can't buy it in free agency. So they've got to get it through the draft, develop, and get there.”
Something the Phillips unexpectedly believes will Bazzna when he eventually makes Cleveland’s big-league roster is that he’s already faced some adversity in the minors. He knows what it’s like to struggle, but more importantly, knows what it takes to get over that hurdle.
“The fact that Bazzana struggled a little bit, to me, means now, when he gets to the big leagues, and he struggles, and he will, at some point, he's got something to fall back on. I'm not concerned about him at all. I love him potentially in that lineup, even this year.”
Overall, Cleveland’s No. 1 prospect finished the 2025 season with a .245/.389/.424 slash line across both Double-A and Triple-A. Bazzana struggled the most last season before he hit the injured list with an oblique injury.
Then, when he retutned he logged a .836 OPS and a 136 wRC+ the rest of the season, proving he was able to overcome the injury both physically and mentally.
Every player faces adversity, and Phillips clearly likes how Bazzna now knows what it takes to get through those hard times.
Guardians Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Guardians. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
Category: General Sports
