Now that we are two months into the 2026 MLB season, we have a significant sample to analyze prospects’ growth around the league. Some of them have improved, others have regressed, and a significant contingent has graduated.
Cleveland Guardians’ top prospect and former No. 1 draft pick Travis Bazzana was 23rd on ESPN’s top 100 prospects list before the start of the season. Kiley McDaniel, the specialist and author of the piece, published an updated top 50 list in which Bazzana is now 11th.
“The former No. 1 pick has improved his contact rates this season, which was one of the main questions about his profile, and he’s currently raking in the big leagues,” McDaniel wrote about the Guardians’ budding star.
It’s important to note that Bazzana’s jump has a lot to do with his growth this year, but also with graduations. Top prospects such as Kevin McGonigle, JJ Wetherholt, Carson Benge, Konnor Griffin, Samuel Basallo, and Nolan McLean are some of them.
However, as McDaniel reports, Bazzana has improved in a key area this year: contact rate. Last year, he had a 76.9 percent contact rate in Triple-A, but that stat has improved to 81.2 percent at the same level and to 81.3 percent in the majors.
More contact equals less vulnerability, more balls in play, and therefore, more chances to do damage at the plate. If we combine this with Bazzana’s elite eye at the dish, power, and speed, we get a star in the making.
Bazzana has almost as many walks, 13, as strikeouts, 14, in his short MLB tenure. That’s impressive for a rookie, and it speaks volumes about his offensive performance so far. That kind of discipline tells us that he is not easily fooled, and he knows the difference between a ball and a strike.
The infielder is slashing a solid .288/.409/.384 with a 133 wRC+, two home runs, and seven stolen bases. The power hasn’t fully translated yet, but it will come eventually.
Even without truly impressive power numbers, it’s easy to see why Bazzana has jumped so many rankings in McDaniels’ updated list. He has mastered the strike zone, he can run, and he has shown an improved ability to make contact with the ball.
The future is bright in Cleveland, and that’s in large part thanks to Bazzana’s growth. He is already one of the best players at his position.
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