GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Travis Bazzana looks ready for the 2026 season to get underway.
Bazzana joined the Guardians’ starting lineup for Saturday’s 10-7 Cactus League loss to the Giants at Scottsdale Stadium and had a monster afternoon. The 23-year-old (who’s ranked Cleveland’s No. 1 prospect and No. 20 overall by MLB Pipeline) belted two home runs -- including a grand slam.
Bazzana’s first home run came against lefty Robbie Ray, a two-time All-Star and the 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner. His grand slam came off Trevor McDonald, the Giants’ No. 16 prospect.
“They're obviously two really successful and quality pitchers,” Bazzana said. “So it's always nice to win some battles against guys that have had really quality careers and are also currently succeeding. Obviously great, and I hope to continue that.”
The Guardians reassigned Bazzana (who will open the season with Triple-A Columbus) to Minor League camp on Thursday after informing him earlier in the week he would not make their Opening Day roster. It was an expected development given his limited experience in Triple-A, but Bazzana nonetheless made a strong impression during his time as a non-roster invitee in big league camp.
“It's like I told him,” manager Stephen Vogt said earlier this week. “‘Go play, go stay ready.’ We know this kid's going to help us a ton and win a lot of games. But again, he needs to go play and get everyday at-bats and continue to develop.”
In Saturday's matchup with the Giants, Ray struck out Bazzana in their first matchup, in the second inning. In the fifth, Bazzana crushed a 3-1 sinker from Ray over the right-field wall, driving it a Statcast-projected 372 feet with a 112.4 mph exit velocity.
Bazzana wasted little time in his next at-bat. His grand slam in the sixth came off an 0-1 sinker that McDonald threw on the inner half of the plate. It had a 102.5 mph exit velocity.
Bazzana has played in eight Cactus League games this spring; he enjoyed a memorable stint playing for Australia at the World Baseball Classic in Japan in between. Given his experience in that tournament, he felt like camp went fast, but has been nonetheless productive.
In eight games this spring through Saturday, Bazzana has hit .381 (8-for-21) with three homers, 11 RBIs and two walks with five strikeouts.
“I feel like I had really quality reps on defense and played how I would want to play out on the field,” Bazzana said. “I learned a lot, built some relationships with the staff in the Major Leagues, and feel like I got a lot out of the camp. I'm excited to move into the season.”
Bazzana only played 84 games in 2025 after missing close to two months in the first half of the season with a right oblique strain. That included 26 games with Columbus following his promotion from Double-A Akron on Aug. 11.
There’s wisdom to Bazzana opening the season with Columbus. But if he comes out of the gate swinging the bat well, the buzz around him being promoted to the Majors will only grow louder.
“Travis has done well,” Vogt said postgame Saturday. “He had a good camp with us. … We're excited to watch his season progress, and we know he can help us at some point.”
Allow him to introduce himself
Jace LaViolette’s opportunities in Cactus League play have been extremely limited. But the Guardians’ 2025 first-round Draft pick made an impressive introduction Saturday.
LaViolette (who’s ranked as the Guardians’ No. 9 prospect by Pipeline) clobbered a solo home run in the ninth inning. The 22-year-old got a 96.9 mph four-seam fastball at the knees from right-hander Mitch White and hit it a Statcast-projected 425 feet. It had a 106.9 mph exit velocity.
The homer came in just LaViolette’s third at-bat in the Cactus League. He’s spent the bulk of this spring in Minor League camp ahead of his first professional season, in which he figures to begin with High-A Lake County.