Travis Bazzana Set To Earn $15.6 Million As MLB’s First Australian Number One Draft Pick

Australia’s Travis Bazzana made Australian sporting history on Monday after being selected as the number one pick in the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft by the Cleveland Guardians. This remarkable feat not only solidifies his position in the league but also comes with a substantial financial reward, with Bazzana expected to earn around $15.6 million under MLB’s slotting system.

At 21 years old, Bazzana made his mark while playing college baseball for Oregon State, where he displayed his skills by batting .407 with 28 home runs and 66 RBIs in the recent season. His outstanding performance paved the way for his groundbreaking selection, making him the first Australian ever to be drafted in the first round of the MLB draft, let alone as the top pick.

Glenn Williams, the chief executive of Baseball Australia, expressed his enthusiasm and pride regarding this historic moment. “It means a lot, it’s hard to put into words, but it means everything,” Williams shared with ESPN from Oregon. “I’m just stoked to be with the people that I am, right here, right now.”

Having grown up in Sydney and also played cricket, Bazzana is resolute in leveraging his career to raise the profile of baseball in Australia. “I see a lot of opportunity — an opportunity to make an impact on a lot of [baseballers] and just people back home in Australia, hopefully change the narrative for the sport,” Bazzana emphasised. “Hopefully, this is a step towards that.”

Prior to Bazzana, the highest Australian draft pick was pitcher Josh Spence, selected in the third round of the 2009 draft. Cleveland’s decision to pick Bazzana marks their first time securing the top pick since the inception of the draft in 1965, obtained through a weighted lottery introduced last year to discourage teams from intentionally underperforming for advantageous draft picks.

The draft ceremony, held at the Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, witnessed Bazzana’s local club, the Ku-Ring-Gai Stealers, gathering for a live viewing event. With his selection, Bazzana is set to join one of Cleveland’s minor league teams and could potentially make his major league debut for the Guardians later this season based on his performance.

This groundbreaking accomplishment and the substantial financial package accompanying it signify a significant breakthrough for Australian baseball, potentially igniting a new wave of aspiring Australian athletes to pursue professional careers in the sport.