Projected top pick Travis Bazzana spills the beans on thoughts going into 2024 MLB draft
Oregon State infielder Travis Bazzana looks forward to an exciting career ahead of him that will begin the moment he hears his name get picked by an MLB team at the Cowtown Coliseum this Sunday.
Projected No. 1 pick Bazzana shared his thoughts on the 2024 MLB draft in an interview with Corvallis Knights manager Brooke Knight. The six-foot college baseball player pointed his love for the game and the desire to get better every day as his motivation to pursue the career he's in.
"I just see it as an opportunity getting to a level that I want to get to, playing in the Major Leagues, with those kind of things that I could go out and progress to do," Bazzana said.
He also noted that he wanted to be the role model that young and aspiring Australian baseball players would look up to when they grew up.
"I can provide resources, provide advice, and then just like be someone for kids to look up to. Be a position player that people can look up to and hopefully, people start to set their goals and expectations a little higher out of Australia," the 21-year-old infielder said.
Travis Bazzana values his West Coast League stint with the Corvallis Knights
Travis Bazzana played in the West Coast League with the Corvallis Knights in 2019 and was named league MVP after batting .429. After moving from Australia, Bazzana's experience with the squad served as a springboard for his success in the United States. The outstanding performance earned him an offer from Oregon State, which he accepted.
Bazzana described the time he spent with the Knights as special, as it was there that he grew as a serious baseball player. He also learned valuable lessons that helped him realize his love for the sport.
"Growing as a baseball player comes from growing as a person. The core things I remember from being there in the summer with the Knights is realizing how much more there was to the game of baseball and how much of community there was in Corvallis," the infielder said.
"There's so many things you learn in that environment and you just get a perfect mix of building yourself to be a better ball player and a better person."
Bazzana is just moments away from shaking the hand of MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and being called the top pick by the Cleveland Guardians. Mock drafts by various baseball experts have him as the No. 1 overall pick, ahead of Georgia's Charlie Condon, Florida's Jac Caglianone and Wake Forest's Nick Kurtz.
Will Travis Bazzana carry his excellent college baseball stint to the major leagues? Let us know your views in the comments section.