Travis Bazzana grew up in Australia playing cricket, rugby, and soccer. However, his lifelong dream was always to become a Major League Baseball player.
“I can’t remember ever giving a different answer to the question of what’s your dream job or what are you going to do in the future,” Bazzana said.
As a second baseman, Bazzana started playing T-Ball at the age of 3 against children twice his age, marking a significant and historic step towards achieving his goal.
Bazzana came to the United States to play baseball at Oregon State University. After three seasons there, he was selected as the first overall pick by the Cleveland Guardians in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft on Sunday night. At 21 years old, he became the first Australian and the first second baseman to be chosen at No. 1.
“There wasn’t much pressure when I was 15 or 16 years old in Australia, and there wasn’t much pressure when I first arrived as a freshman at Oregon State. No one really expected much from the Australian kid,” he said. “
(The pressure) continues to build, and it will increase when I make my big league debut and as everything unfolds. That’s just part of it. I’m focused on the process and surrounded by the right people to ensure external pressures don’t affect me too much.”
When Bazzana’s name was announced during the draft held in Texas, he was in a room above Oregon State’s baseball field surrounded by teammates, coaches, and his immediate family. His parents, two older brothers, and two aunts were present.
Bazzana mentioned that people had flown in from Australia, a journey of about 8,000 miles, to witness the moment in person with him.
“It wasn’t a cheap or easy flight. So, it’s really special to have these people here,” he said. “And, it was a fitting place to do it, right where I was recruited. I made those decisions to come here in these rooms, and now to finish my journey here, it’s pretty cool.”
