Even if he hasn’t made his MLB debut yet, there’s a solid chance Travis Bazzana, one of the best prospects in baseball, is already the Cleveland Guardians’ best middle infielder, with all due respect to Brayan Rocchio, Gabriel Arias, Daniel Schneemann, Angel Martinez, and others.
The team, however, doesn’t want to rush anything and has announced that the No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft won’t be making the Opening Day roster.
“Guardians manager Stephen Vogt says that they have informed Travis Bazzana, Milan Tolentino, Pedro Ávila, and Dom Núñez that they “would not be making the team, but they’re going to remain in camp with us a few more days,” Guardians insider Mason Horodyski wrote on X, with words from Cleveland’s skipper.
#Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt says that they have informed Travis Bazzana, Milan Tolentino, Pedro Ávila, and Dom Núñez that they "would not be making the team, but they're going to remain in camp with us a few more days"#GuardsBall @WEWS
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 16, 2026
Bazzana played with Team Australia in the World Baseball Classic, where he homered once and had a .610 OPS in four games. He has been better in the Cactus League, though, hitting .286/.333/.500 with a dinger and a 112 wRC+ in five games.
There’s a good chance he’s ready for the big leagues now, but the Guardians, in a decision that might also have service time implications, have decided that Triple-A Columbus will be his home, at least at the beginning of the 2026 campaign.
There’s a good chance that Bazzana, who racked up nine home runs, 12 stolen bases, and a 137 wRC+ in 374 plate appearances between the Complex League, Double-A, and Triple-A, finds his way to the major leagues at some point in May or June if he gets off to a fast start.
He has shown he can succeed at every minor league level, slashing a solid .225/.420/.438 with a 138 wRC+ in Triple-A last year, at least offensively. There are some defensive questions surrounding him, but he has the physical tools to suggest he can be an above-average defender there at some point.
Guardians fans will have to be patient, but this is a potential franchise-altering talent. They want to make sure he can Triple-A pitching consistently over an extended period, but given how tight the AL Central could be this year, he will be a fixture in the Guardians’ lineup sooner than you imagine.
Tolentino posted a 20-20 season in Triple-A last year, but he needs to improve his 98 wRC+. Nunez, a catcher, will likely remain around as organizational depth.
NEXT: Guardians Executive Says Team Does Not Want To Lose Young Pitcher
