The first round of the 2024 Major League Baseball Draft took place on Sunday evening from Fort Worth, Texas. For the first time ever an Australian was selected first overall, as the Cleveland Guardians picked second baseman Travis Bazzana of Hornsby, Australia with the number one pick. Remarkably, Bazzana is only the second player ever born outside the United States selected first overall. The first player was shortstop Carlos Correa of Ponce, Puerto Rico, who was selected first overall by the Houston Astros in 2012 out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy.
Who does Bazzana play for?
Bazzana is currently playing in the Pac-12 Conference with the Oregon State University Beavers. In 60 games, 214 at bats, and 296 plate appearances, he has scored 84 runs, and had 87 hits, 16 doubles, four triples, 28 home runs, 66 runs batted in, 16 stolen bases, 76 walks, 195 total bases, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .568, and a slugging percentage of .911.
Two Australians in MLB
There are currently two Australians who played Major League Baseball in 2024. They are second baseman Curtis Mead and relief pitcher Jack O’Loughlin. Both Mead and O’Loughlin are from Adelaide. Mead is with the Tampa Bay Rays, and O’Loughin is with the Oakland Athletics.
How did the Guardians get the first overall pick?
Cleveland won the Draft Lottery in remarkable fashion on December 5, 2023 during the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee. The Guardians only had a two percent chance of winning the lottery, and the ninth best chance of getting the first overall pick.
Australian First Overall Picks in the NBA
Twice before an Australian has been selected first overall in the NBA. In 2005, the Milwaukee Bucks selected center Andrew Bogut of Melbourne first out of the University of Utah, and in 2016, the Philadelphia 76ers selected point guard Ben Simmons of Melbourne first overall out of Louisiana State University.
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