It may have taken a little while for Travis Bazzana to get his first major league hit. But now that it’s been accomplished, many, many more should be on the way.
Bazzana made his much-anticipated MLB debut on April 28 against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. He went 0-for-2 with two walks, and two hitless games followed.
Then, on Saturday against the Athletics in Sacramento, Bazzana lined a single up the middle in the seventh inning to end an 0-for-12 start to his career. On Sunday, he went 2-for-3, showing that this may be the start of something big.
Former MLB player Mark DeRosa, who was the Team USA manager at the World Baseball Classic, recently revealed what he loves about Bazzana, praising his “fiery personality.”
“[Travis Bazzana, JJ Wetherholt and Kevin McGonigle] are going to be kind of tied to the hip here as we watch their careers progress. What I love about [Bazzana] as well, there’s a fiery personality. Coming from Australia, representing his country, you could see the way he handles the moment, but he’s the same way in the minor leagues. No different. Whether there’s 45,000 people in the stands or six, seven grand,” DeRosa said.
“[Travis Bazzana, JJ Wetherholt and Kevin McGonigle] are going to be kind of tied to the hip here as we watch their careers progress…”
Mark DeRosa compares three standout rookie lefty infielders and their differing swings at the plate. pic.twitter.com/iKlO7I7MRm
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 3, 2026
DeRosa was comparing the left-handed swings of the trio of rookies, Bazzana, Wetherholt, and McGonigle, who each have made their MLB debut this season. Bazzana was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, when Wetherholt was taken at No. 7 by the St. Louis Cardinals. McGonigle was the No. 37 pick by the Detroit Tigers in the 2023 draft.
Wetherholt and McGonigle opened the season with their respective clubs, while Bazzana started the year in Triple-A. After being passed over for the initial promotion when the Guardians placed infielder Gabriel Arias on the injured list, Bazzana was promoted because Juan Brito was unable to produce at the plate like Cleveland was hoping.
The Guardians may have had those same concerns about Bazzana during his slow start. But fellow rookie Chase DeLauter, among others, had confidence that his former minor league teammate was going to hit at this level, and he likely will be proven right.
Getting his first three major league hits has allowed Bazzana to show off other aspects of his game, as he stole his first two bases in the past two games. He also has six walks and three runs scored in his five games played.
He will try to keep it going when the Guardians visit the Kansas City Royals for a four-game series that opens on Monday.
NEXT: Chase DeLauter Gets Candid About His Home Run Approach
