FORT WORTH-. Travis Bazzana feels that he represents an entire country, not just a university’s sports program. The second baseman Australian Travis Bazzana He was selected Sunday by the Cleveland Guardians with the first overall pick in the amateur draft of the MLBand three Wake Forest players were selected in the top ten.
A former cricket, rugby and soccer player who came to the United States to play baseball at Oregon State, the 21-year-old hit .407 with 28 homers and 66 RBIs this season. He became the first Australian and first second baseman to be drafted No. 1 overall.
“An opportunity to make an impact on a lot of baseball players and a lot of people back in Australia, and hopefully change the narrative of baseball there,” Bazzana said.
Bazzana hit .360 in three seasons at Oregon State with 45 homers, 165 RBIs, 180 walks and 66 stolen bases.
Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said the team made the decision Sunday. Cleveland had the No. 1 pick for the first time since the draft began in 1965.
“He recognizes pitches extremely well,” Antonetti said. “He knows the strike zone, he makes good swing decisions, when he chooses to swing he makes elite-level contact. I think what has really grown in Travis’ game over the last year is the ability to hit and drive the ball.”
Bazzana watched the draft from Oregon State in the room where he was recruited, accompanied by his parents, siblings, aunts along with his coaches and mentors.
“People have flown in from Australia, which is not cheap or easy,” he said.
He was inspired by Ryan Rowland-Smith and Trent Oeltjen, Australians who had reached the Major Leagues.
“They really helped me believe and see this path and having an opportunity at Oregon State, and in some ways they helped me not put limits on myself,” he said.
Once in college, there was no pressure to produce.
“Nobody really expected anything from the Australian kid,” he said.
Baseball’s No. 1 pick this year had a slot valued at $10.57 billion under the bonus pool system that began in 2012.
Wake Forest right-hander Chase Burns was selected by Cincinnati as the second pick, first baseman Nick Kurtz was the fourth pick, taken by Oakland, and third baseman/outfielder Sabre King was the 10th pick by Washington.
Colorado selected Georgia third baseman Charlie Condon with the third pick. Projected to be the first pick by some, the 6-foot-4 Condon led the NCAA this year with a .433 average and 37 homers. The 21-year-old homered in eight straight games from April 26 to May 9, one shy of the NCAA record, and won the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur baseball player.
Kurtz hit .306 with 22 homers, 57 RBIs and 78 walks.
Kansas City with the sixth pick selected Jac Caglianone, a dual-role player from Florida. A pitcher and first baseman, he hit .419 with 35 homers and 72 RBIs for the Gators this year while going 5-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 16 starts, striking out 83 and walking 50 in 73 2/3 innings.
West Virginia infielder JJ Wetherholt was the seventh pick to St. Louis.
Konnor Griffin was the first high school player selected, taken with the ninth pick by Pittsburgh.
Commissioner Rob Manfred was booed by the nearly 2,000 fans in attendance as he emerged onto the stage through the doors of the chamber.
Source: AP