Guardians' rookie infielder is 'excited' for what is ahead of him

Guardians' rookie infielder is 'excited' for what is ahead of him originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Cleveland Guardians prospect Travis Bazzana didn't get a hit in his major league debut on Tuesday, but his performance wasn't terrible. Bazzana went 0-for-2 (four plate appearances), two walks (one intentional), and a strikeout. Bazzana did put the ball in play, with a flyout to center field in the fifth inning.

Despite not having a notable debut, Bazzana is excited for the season ahead of him.

Travis Bazzana is excited to “build relationships” with the Cleveland Guardians as the season progresses

“I guess after the first at-bat, obviously, it didn't go how I wanted, but it was kind of an exhale moment, like now we go into the flow of this game,” Bazzana said postgame to Mason Horodyski of News 5 Cleveland. “I'm excited to get into the swing of a big league season. You know, it's every day, it's a grind. I'm excited to build relationships and get into this. It's April right now, and there's a lot of season, and I can't wait to go on big winning streaks and go through the ups and downs with this team. I'm excited for that.”

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Bazzana, 23, is the Guardians top rated prospect and the 16th-best prospect in Major League Baseball. An Australian, Bazzana was drafted first overall in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Oregon State University.

The Guardians called up Bazzana to replace second baseman Juan Brito, who had struggled to put together a quality start. Brito, 24, hit .176 with a .505 OPS in 15 games.

Infielder Brayan Rocchio has also played second base this season (10 games), but shifted over to shortstop when infielder (left hamstring strain) landed on the injured list. Arias isn't expected to return until May or June, which gives Bazzana a lot of opportunities to prove he can remain in the big leagues.