Former Guardians pitcher shares bold Travis Bazzana prediction for 2026

A former Cleveland Guardians pitcher thinks fans will see plenty of Travis Bazzana early in 2026.

Jul 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians number one draft pick Travis Bazzana, right, shakes hands with third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) before the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the San Diego Padres at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Guardians quite literally won the lottery to earn the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. That picked was used on second baseman Travis Bazzana, and fans have been awaiting his arrival ever since.

The rising star rose through the minors all the way to Triple-A Columbus in 2025 and rumors emerged he may be included on the postseason roster. That surprising role end up going to Chase DeLauter instead.

Bazzana was the No. 1 overall pick and while baseball development takes longer than other sports, such as what we see in the NFL and NBA, he is expected to contribute soon. Former Guardians pitcher and current analyst Jensen Lewis believes the former top pick is going to be given every single opportunity to win a starting job in 2026.

"I'd be shocked if he doesn't get every opportunity to be the starting 2B on Opening Day." #GuardsBall@JLEWFifty thinks Travis Bazzana may be in Cleveland sooner than you'd think. 👀

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— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) October 11, 2025

It is easy to agree with Lewis on this take. Bazzana had an .813 OPS between three levels in 2025 and that came in only 84 games. The only issue of note is that game total. Bazzana missed time with an oblique injury, or he may have already made his debut.

Fans were begging the front office all year to promote the next crop of potential stars, especially when the season looked lost in the summer. It took some time, but eventually fans got to see the likes of George Valera, C.J. Kayfus, Petey Halpin, and even DeLauter.

Bazzana is now the next man up. But if he wins the second base job, who is out of a job? The shortstop competition would seemingly come down to Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio. Rocchio had a resurgent end to the year after a dismal start, but needs to prove he can be consistent in 2026. For now, he seems like the early favorite.

Arias could then serve a utility role or be offered up in trade talks. All of this depends on the development of prospects and how aggressive the team is in free agency.

The Guardians could indeed surprise us all and make some external additions. Regardless, the second base job is clearly Bazzana's if he can seize it in spring training. Aside from injuries, the only thing holding him back may be the front office. They could choose to promote him later in the year to gain an extra year of team control, even if it causes fans to riot.