WEST SACRAMENTO -- The quality of Travis Bazzana’s plate appearances has been on full display over his first few days in the big leagues. But entering the seventh inning on Saturday, the 23-year-old still had a goose egg in the hits column.
Bazzana wasted no further time getting on the board. The Guardians second baseman and 2024 No. 1 overall Draft pick recorded his first career big league hit, when he delivered a bases-loaded two-run single off A’s lefty Hogan Harris.
Bazzana (ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 16 overall prospect) went 0-for-12 to start his big league career, but he drew four walks over his first 16 plate appearances. We saw the stellar plate discipline he’s long been known for on display once more in the seventh.
Bazzana worked a 2-0 count against Harris, who then drew the count even at 2-2. Bazzana took a four-seam fastball high to run the count full, then fouled off a pair of heaters on the inner half. Harris came back with another fastball down and inside, and Bazzana knocked it up the middle past diving A’s shortstop Jacob Wilson.
As he ran to first base, Bazzana turned toward the Guardians’ dugout and let out a primal yell and pumped his right fist once the ball got past Wilson. Bazzana then promptly recorded his first career stolen base in the big leagues by swiping second.