Australia is about to have another superstar athlete stateside, with teenage baseball sensation Travis Bazzana set to join the ranks of Major League baseball, after making waves at Oregon State University.
Bazzana is currently a junior in college, and his nuclear hitting ability has him shaping up to be the highest-drafted Australian in MLB history, with some believing he could even be the first man taken in the 2024 draft.
Recently hitting a mind-blowing four-straight leadoff home runs, the Australian has taken college baseball by storm, and the big leagues are next on his hit list.
Who is Travis Bazzana? Career and bio
Travis Bazzana is an Australian baseball player and MLB draft prospect, who played second base for the Oregon State University Beavers.
Born in 2002, Bazzana hails from Sydney, NSW, and his background comes from high-school cricket, as he was the captain and opening batsman for Turramurra High School.
He also played for Australian Baseball League team the Sydney Blue Sox, as well as suiting up for the Corvallis Knights in an American collegiate summer competition the West Coast League, before joining the Beavers.
#Pac12BSB Player of the Week: Travis Bazzana, Oregon State 🦫
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) March 25, 2024
Full release ➡️ https://t.co/6XEtWjMYJs@RawlingsSports pic.twitter.com/gh4vneGOo7
Having completed his third year of college, Pazzana has demonstrated immense talent; in 2023 he was named a Collegiate Baseball Second-Team All-American, and his form looks to have only improved in 2024, including a stretch of hitting eight home runs in just five games.
When is the MLB Draft?
The MLB Draft will take place across two days, on Monday, July 15 and Tuesday, July 16.
The event will begin at 9am AEST on both days.
Where will Travis Bazzana be selected in the MLB Draft?
Bazzana is shaping up to be one of the top picks in the 2024 MLB draft.
He is currently the third-ranked prospect in the entire class, trailing only West Virginia's JJ Wetherholt and Wake Forest's Nick Kurtz, but depending on specific team fit and the rest of the 2024 college season, the Australian could very well end up being selected with the top pick.
The top three picks are held by the Cleveland Guardians, Cincinnati Reds, and the Colorado Rockies, meaning one of these cities is more likely than not where Bazzana will be headed.
How many Australians are currently in the MLB?
There are currently only two active Australians on MLB rosters, Liam Hendriks on the Boston Red Sox, and Curtis Mead who plays for the Tampa Bay Rays.
All time, Australia has produced 37 MLB players, with only three of these being named All-Stars: Grant Balfour, David Nilsson and Hendriks.
Which hand does Travis Bazzana use?
Surprisingly, Bazzana utilises both hands when playing, but for different things.
The Australian bats left-handed, but throws with his right.
How old is Travis Bazzana?
Bazzana is 21 years old, being born on August 28, 2002.
He was born in Sydney, Australia.
How tall is Travis Bazzana?
Travis Bazzana stands six-feet tall, or 183 centimetres, and weighs 199 pounds - 90 kilograms.
Travis Bazzana 2024 stats
- AVG: .467
- HR: 14
- RBI: 36
- OPS: 1.636
