CLEVELAND, Ohio — Second baseman Travis Bazzana, the overall No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, is being evaluated by the Guardians for an injury that forced him out of Wednesday’s game for the Class AA Akron RubberDucks.
Bazzana was not in Akron’s lineup on Thursday against the Chesapeake BaySox.
The Guardians said they are gathering information on Bazzana’s “right-side flank” injury.
Bazzana left Wednesday’s game after hitting a double in the fourth inning. He was replaced by Kyle Dernedde.
The injury, according to the Guardians, may have happened on Bazzana’s swing that resulted in a double.
The injury short-circuited a good game by Bazzana. He was 1 for 1 with a run, double, two walks and two stolen bases.
Bazzana, the first overall No.1 pick in Cleveland history, is hitting .252 (32 for 127) with four homers, 17 RBI and a .795 OPS (onbase percentage + slugging percentage) for the RubberDucks.
He’s stolen eight bases in nine attempts and scored 29 runs in 33 games. He’s hit five doubles and three triples to go along with his four homers.
The Guardians, the surprise winners of the 2024 draft lottery, selected Bazzana with the No.1 pick out of Oregon State. They paid him a franchise record $8.95 million, which was below his slot value of of $10.57 million.