Travis Bazzana won't be on the Cleveland Guardians Opening Day roster, but he still previewed the player he could be during Spring Training.
Travis Bazzana won’t be on the Cleveland Guardians Opening Day roster. Stephen Vogt confirmed that news last week, but the organization’s No. 1 overall prospect has still been with the big league team as they wrap up Cactus League play.
Bazzana not being with the big-league team at the start of the regular season doesn’t take away from what he accomplished over the last few weeks. The Guardians still got a glimpse of what the future holds during his opportunities in Spring Training.
The 23-year-old only played eight Cactus League games due to participating in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but he didn’t waste any of those chances to prove himself.
Bazzana said on Saturday that his mindset through the spring has been to “make the most of every at bat and every inning on defense.”
Feb 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (72) makes a play in the fourth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Fields of Phoenix. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesMuch of that mentality came from Bazzana’s opportunity to compete in the WBC. “It kind of reminds you that you gotta play every pitch to win in, like, really high intensity,” Bazzana continued. “I feel like it's been a good stepping stone into the back end of the spring, and I'm feeling really good moving into the season.”
With making the most of every at-bat being Bazzana’s goal, he certainly accomplished that. The left-handed hitter finished with a .857 OPS in 21 at-bats. Half of his hits went for extra bases, and he tallied three home runs, too.
Two of those home runs came on Saturday against the San Francisco Giants. Anytime a player can get into a pitch and get it over the wall, it’s impressive, but considering who Bazzana hit these homers off of should give the Guardians much more encouragement that their top prospect is getting closer to being big-league ready.
Bazzana’s first home run against the Giants came off 2021 Cy Young winner and 2025 All-Star Robbie Ray. The Guardians hitter pulled a line drive over the right field wall, which came off the bat at 112.4 mph.
His very next plate appearance, Bazzana hit a grand slam off big league pitcher Trevor McDonald.
“They're obviously two really successful in quality pitchers, so it's always nice to win some battles against guys that have had really quality careers and are also currently succeeding,” said Bazzana about his multi-home run day.
Even though Cleveland’s top prospect won’t be with the Guardians to start the season, he certainly gave them a sneak peek at the player he has the potential to be. If Bazzana continues to swing that bat this well at the start of the Minor League season, it may not be long before that future becomes the present.
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