Guardians make history with No. 1 overall pick in MLB Draft

Jun 9, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Oregon State Beavers infielder Travis Bazzana (37) throws the ball during the second inning against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kentucky Proud Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians made some history on Sunday with their selection in the MLB Draft.

The Guardians selected Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana with the No. 1 overall pick. In doing so, they made the Bazzana the first Australian-born player to be selected in the first round of the draft.

Bazzana was born in Sydney and actually started his athletic career playing cricket. He excelled at that, too: according to his Oregon State bio , he captained Turramurra High School to its first ever state championship. He chose to play collegiately at Oregon State, where he became an immediate contributor. Eventually, he evolved into a Golden Spikes Award finalist in 2024 and also garnered first-team All-American honors while hitting .407 as a junior.

Australia has produced its share of MLB players, but none were ever drafted in the first round, much less first overall. The Guardians will be hoping he can contribute to their middle infield for years to come.

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