Prospect extensions have become more and more popular, and it's something the Cleveland Guardians should explore with Travis Bazzana.
Travis Bazzana has faced some adversity since being drafted by the Cleveland Guardians back in 2024. For example, he missed some time last season with an oblique injury.
However, when healthy, Bazzana continues to show why he is the future of the Guardians’ lineup and why the team is so high on him. With Bazzana starting the season at Triple-A and off to a hot start at that, it would be shocking if he didn’t make his big-league debut at some point during the 2026 season.
Before the Guardians call Bazzana up, they should seriously consider following a trend that has become quite popular with other elite prospects in baseball over the last few years: agree to a contract extension before a promotion.
There are numerous recent examples of a pre-promotion contract that the Guardians could use as a blueprint for a potential Bazzana deal.
Columbus Clippers Travis Bazzana (12) reacts during the home opener against the Indianapolis Indians at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. © Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesBefore the 2023 season, the Milwaukee Brewers signed Jackson Chourio (older brother of Guardians prospect Jaison Chourio) to a contract extension through the 2033 season.
Then, a few weeks ago, they did something similar with their current No. 4 prospect, Cooper Pratt, signing him to an eight-year extension, even though he’s still at Triple-A.
The Seattle Mariners also got in on the action early last week, signing their top prospect, Colt Emerson, to an eight-year, $95 million extension, which is the biggest deal for a player to receive before they make their MLB debut.
Then, there’s Konnor Griffin, the top prospect in baseball, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are also reportedly in contract negotiations that are in the ballpark of $140 over nine years. Yes, Griffin ended up making his big-league debut on Friday, but he’s still just 19 years old
Bazzana is a few years older than this group of players, but a deal could still make sense for both sides. The Guardians could bypass his arbitration years and sign the 23-year-old for the beginning of his prime, while Bazzana receives guaranteed money before he steps on a big-league field.
There’s certainly some risk associated with any contract extension, especially for a player still considered a prospect.
But if the Guardians believed in Bazzana enough to make the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, they must have faith his ceiling as a big-league player is high and want him around for more than just the six initial years of team control on his contract.
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