2024 Draft's Top Picks Collide As Hagen Smith, Travis Bazzana Meet In ALDS

Hagen Smith and Travis Bazzana were both taken in the top five of the 2024 MLB Draft, culminating in a matchup that could swing the entire ALDS.

Sep 29, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Hagen Smith (32) throws a pitch against the Houston Astros in the first inning during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians will start their fated matchup in the American League Division Series. One interesting matchup will be Hagen Smith vs. Travis Bazzana, who were both selected in the top five selections of the 2024 MLB Draft.

Both Smith and Bazzana enjoyed solid debut seasons in 2026. Bazzana got to the big leagues first, slashing .245/.335/.408 with 15 home runs and an All-Star selection. Smith came up later in the season, but pitched to a 1.29 ERA and a 37.3% strikeout rate.

Due to their proximity in both the draft and the division, the two players will be forever intertwined. In 2023, both Chicago and Cleveland had subpar seasons. The White Sox lost 101 games, earning the No. 5 pick in the lottery before taking Smith. Meanwhile, Cleveland jumped to No. 1 and chose Bazzana.

The 2024 MLB Draft is already shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory, as 13 of the 30 first-round picks have already made their MLB debut. The three players selected between Bazzana and Smith were Chase Burns, Charlie Condon, and Nick Kurtz. Condon is one of the top prospects in the minors, ranked No. 56 overall by MLB Pipeline, while Burns and Kurtz were named 2026 All-Stars.

Hagen Smith Faces Travis Bazzana in ALDS 2 Years After 2024 MLB Draft

Sep 6, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) celebrates after hitting an RBI double during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While Game 1 of the ALDS will mark the first MLB postseason matchup between the two top-five picks, there's plenty of history between the two players. Smith's best game at Arkansas came against Bazzana and Oregon State. The future White Sox left-hander struck out 17 in a start that vaulted him to the top of his draft class. Three of those strikeouts were from Bazzana.

There has only been one MLB matchup between the two players. That came on September 16, in which Smith retired Bazzana on a groundout to first base. Smith ultimately took the loss in the game, which ended up being consequential for why the series is being hosted in Cleveland rather than Chicago.

There will likely only be one matchup between Smith and Bazzana in this postseason game. The White Sox have used their former first-rounder as an opener, having pitched three innings in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros. Smith will likely only see the Guardians' lineup once before handing the ball over to rookie David Sandlin.

Bazzana is already a key bat in the Guardians' lineup and should eventually move toward the top of their lineup long term. Thus, he's the type of bat that the White Sox will want to neutralize in key moments throughout the series. And Smith very well could play a huge role in that.

Smith's likely to develop into a Swiss Army Knife in Chicago's bullpen. Once again, he'll serve as a multi-inning opener for Game 1, but in a deeper series could wear a variety of hats. Given the importance of this series, both Bazzana and Smith will have plenty of battles in this series. How this matchup goes could decide the fate of the ALDS.