The Guardians are reportedly promoting 2024 first overall pick Travis Bazzana. He should debut tomorrow and take over as the everyday second baseman. They’ll open an active roster spot by optioning Juan Brito. Cleveland still has an opening on the 40-man roster after waiving Kolby Allard a couple weeks ago, so no other move is necessary.
Cleveland’s middle infield has been in flux since Gabriel Arias went down with a left hamstring strain three weeks ago. That moved Brayan Rocchio from second base to shortstop. The Guardians promoted Brito after the Arias injury, but the 24-year-old second baseman struggled after collecting five hits in his first three games. Brito had just four hits in 39 at-bats over his next 12 contests. He also committed four errors across 123 1/3 innings.
That opened the door for Bazzana’s first major league look. The Australian-born infielder is out to a strong .287/.422/.511 start over 24 games with Triple-A Columbus. He has taken walks at a huge 17.9% clip against a league average 21.4% strikeout rate. Bazzana only has two home runs, but he has already tallied 11 doubles and a pair of triples. He’s also 8-10 in stolen base attempts.
Bazzana’s advanced hit tool and extremely patient approach have been his calling cards dating back to his college days at Oregon State. He was expected to be one of the quickest players from his draft to the majors. Instead, Chase Burns, Nick Kurtz, Cam Smith, JJ Wetherholt, Jac Caglianone, Christian Moore, Trey Yesavage, Carson Benge and even Konnor Griffin (a high school draftee) were all 2024 first-rounders who got to the big leagues before he did.
That’s at least partially due to health. A pair of oblique injuries limited Bazzana to 77 games between the top two minor league levels last season (plus seven rehab contests at the Arizona complex). It was understandable the Guardians wanted him to open the season in Triple-A. They probably should have swapped him in for Brito earlier than they have this April, however.
It’s a moot point now, as Bazzana joins Chase DeLauter as touted rookies in Stephen Vogt’s lineup. He has been a full-time second baseman in the minor leagues and could see time at the keystone and designated hitter. That’d allow them to use hot-hitting utility player Daniel Schneemann more frequently in left field against right-handed pitching. George Valera has started slowly since returning from a season-opening calf strain, while the switch-hitting Angel Martínez has better career numbers against lefties.
Bazzana comfortably meets the criteria to qualify for the Prospect Promotion Incentive. He entered the season among the top 25 minor league talents at each of MLB Pipeline, Baseball America and ESPN. He was a little lower on preseason rankings from FanGraphs and Keith Law of The Athletic but still easily a consensus Top 100 prospect.
It’s beyond the point at which Bazzana can accrue a full service year through time spent on the MLB roster. He would earn a full year of service time if he places within the top two in AL Rookie of the Year voting. It’ll be a challenge to compete with Kevin McGonigle, Munetaka Murakami, Carter Jensen and teammates DeLauter and Parker Messick among what could be an excellent AL rookie class. The Guardians would not be eligible for an extra draft choice if Bazzana wins Rookie of the Year because they waited beyond the second week of April to call him up.
If Bazzana sticks on the MLB roster, he’d be a lock to qualify for early arbitration as a Super Two player after 2028. The Guardians will hope he hits the ground running and solidifies his hold on the second base job. If not, future optional assignments to the minor leagues could change his service trajectory. Arias’ initial 4-8 week recovery timeline left open a potential May return. He should be a utility player but could reclaim the shortstop job and push Rocchio back to second if Bazzana struggles in his first look at big league pitching.
Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported the Bazzana promotion. Zack Meisel of The Athletic reported the Brito demotion. Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images.
A Bazzanna Bonanza
The Guardians issue a press release “Yes, we have some Bazzana” and call up 2024 first overall pick Travis “Chicito” Bazzana.
There’s a George Bonanza here to see you
Get a good look, Costanza?
peiiinnnnnnn-peirrrrrrrr-pam-pam-pam-pam.
Indians suck…..
really adding value to the discussion with this one 🙄
@brew
The Indians haven’t won a game since 2021, so he’s technically correct. The Guardians are doing pretty well, though.
Guarindians*
Bazzandians.
Bazinga it’s Bazzana time.
Good for him.
the rays did this
Chiquita Bazzana!
Bazzana is here. The Guardians next superstar!
I hope he does well. I’m curious to see how he does at the big league level.
Late april callup
They get that xtra yr of control now
This move will be all the sweeter if sending down Brito is the corresponding move. Brito needs to go back to the minors and spend the next 2 years learning how to play baseball.
Another guy probably signing long term. The wave of the future
At least half of those early career extensions will be bad deals imo. Too many highly touted top prospects fail in this league
The wording of the article makes it seem like Valera has been their primary left fielder all year, but he was only recently activated from the IL and has mostly been a strong side platoon bat anyway. Angel Martinez has been playing a lot of left field.
More than likely, it’ll continue to take at bats away from the combination of Manzardo and Hoskins. (It doesn’t seem like they’ve both been in the same lineup much lately, but this would open up additional DH at bats for DeLauter and allow Schneemann and Martinez to flank Kwan in the outfield.) Rocchio’s status as the everyday shortstop shouldn’t be affected.
It’s very arguable that Kwan should lose at least a little bit of playing time since he’s been lost at the plate since last July, but I doubt they’re ready to have that conversation yet.
Yeah didn’t mean to imply that but fleshed that section out a bit, didn’t word it clearly enough. Still think Valera probably loses the most playing time (aside from Brito). As you mentioned, they’re kind of already moving away from doubling up with Manzardo/Rhys.
Kwan: it’s not great but I don’t think Bazzana changes anything for him. Excellent as Martínez and Schneemann have been so far, they both feel stretched as regular center fielders.
@Anthony Franco
Anthony, in every instance where Cleveland deploys both Schneemann and Kwan as starting outfielders, Schneemann is the centerfielder and Kwan is the left fielder.
Why?
Because it’s by far Cleveland’s best defensive outfield arrangement. Kwan is a far better left fielder than centerfielder, and Schneemann is clearly a plus defensive centerfielder and Kwan is not. Not surprisingly, this outfield arrangement is 5-0. Every other LF-CF starting lineup is 10-15.
I suspect Cleveland knows this, and to the extent that Bazzana’s arrival impacts the infield, it does affect Kwan, because he’ll play MORE in left, not less, and this should help his overall game, possibly improving the team at three positions, not just one.
Bottom line, Schneemann may be “stretched” as a regular CF simply because, like Kwan, the position may physically wear him down, but Schneemann is not masquerading when he plays center; he’s actually one of the most fundamentally sound defensive centerfielders in the game and Cleveland would be nuts not to play him there (and Kwan in LF) as much as they judiciously can.
Well put, gotta love that overachiever.
Thats for coming here and replying to a comment. Wish more writers in general ( not particular to this site) would be honorable to do so occasionally
Appreciate the response, Anthony! I definitely agree that Valera is most likely to lose playing time though. Brito will most likely be the one to lose his roster spot, and as I’m typing this they have yet to announce the corresponding move.
On that note, Brito is a very weird player to evaluate because I think he’s a better hitter than he’s shown recently but he’s an absolute liability defensively and I don’t think his offense is SO good that he can profile as a regular DH.
We’ll see how it affects Kwan but it probably won’t impact too much just yet. He’s been playing more center but isn’t there every day, so Schneemann and Martinez have still been playing a lot there.
what happens when Arias gets off IR ? who goes…?
Hopefully Arias
Cleveland s new lead off hitter?
Right. Except Vogt will bat him 8th or 9th so as not to put too much pressure on him, as if being the first pick in the draft and being passed by others drafted behind him hasn’t resulted in too much pressure already. I say bat him leadoff and see how much he can handle. Kwan should be dropped to 9th in the batting order.
I have an irrational positive predisposition towards doubles hitters. It’s probably from growing up in the 70s with the early generations of Astroturf in big multi-purpose ballparks.
I’m looking forward to watching him this week.
Aussie Aussie Aussie! Let’s gooooo! Hope does well and holds down the position long term!! 🇦🇺🦘
The guardians can once again say “ Yes, we some Bonanza“.
Great for the Guards!
It would be a very Cleveland thing for him to come in and steal the RoY award from McGonigle. I don’t think there’s any chance that happens but they always find a way to annoy us Tigers fans.
Heh, as a Cleveland fan, the Very Cleveland Thing to me would be Bazzana getting the full year of service time and the Guardians not getting the draft pick. I’d still be happy for him!
I don’t totally fault the team for not wanting to rush him past AAA, but man Brito has been rough to watch.
Ya’ll still get the Competitive Balance Round pick which you can also trade! I do want the picks to be tradable though. Not all of them, but a lot.
@Astros71
No, Bazzana no longer qualifies for the CBR pick because of when he was promoted.
The best thing that Cleveland can hope for is that all of Bazzana, Delauter, and Messick play well but none of them finish in the top two of the ROY voting. That would be ideal for fans and the organization.
I know. Messick is eligible though.
Messick has the ROY locked up, sorry rookies!
The ROY is locked up in April?
Kids say the darndest things.
4 of you don’t understand sarcasm
Make it 5, I really dont think youre a kid.
Kid at heart, depending on the day
Besides, McGonigle wrapped it up in March, so I dont see how Messik can lock it up in April.
Just wait until Chase Delauter locks it up in May
Already a class for the ages !
Grabbed him in one fantasy league, let’s see how he does. Liked what I saw at the WBC.
So much better when noise is muted.
Don’t get yer hopes up, people. Just look at the Guards’ track record developing middle infielders. Bazzana might turn out to be just another Bazzero second baseman.
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!
Hoy! Hoy! Hoy!
Was good w Savannah
Also, should bring up Fairchild.
And then Ingle.