Guardians prospect ranked among the best ahead of 2025

There are a handful of prospects in the Cleveland Guardians minor league system that have garnered plenty of attention, but there is one in particular that stands above the rest.

The Guardians selected Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick in the 2024 MLB June Amateur Draft, and expectations were high. Bazzana's performance during his three years in college, combined with his draft status, has resulted in being placed rather high in a list of baseball's top prospects for 2025.

Keith Law of the Athletic compiled a list of the Top 100 prospects for the upcoming season (subscription required), with Bazzana being one of the higher-ranked individuals on the list. Bazzana is ranked 25th on this list and is the second-highest ranked pure second baseman on the list (Detroit's Kevin McGonigle is 23rd, and Boston's Kristian Campbell, who plays both second and the outfield, is ninth).

"Even if he’s just average on defense, his propensity to hit for high averages and get on base with probably 20ish-homer upside should still make him an All-Star." writes Law as he projects what Bazzana's future in Cleveland could look like.

The offensive aspect is what should take center stage here, considering the Guardians just traded away an elite defensive second baseman in Andres Gimenez this winter. Cleveland did not feel confident in what Gimenez could provide for them at the plate and has decided to go in a different direction at the position. The fact that Cleveland drafted Bazzana with the first pick despite having Gimenez under contract until at least 2029 should have been an indicator of how the organization may operate.

Cleveland is banking on Bazzana to be their second baseman of the future, and his time could come as soon as this season. Until then, it will be up to one of multiple options to hold down the fort at second until Bazzana makes his debut, and hopefully, he will be able to prove Cleveland's front office made the right decision by parting ways with Gimenez.