Guardians' Prospect Bazzana Hits Two Homers in Spring Training

Bazzana's impressive performance against top pitchers highlights his readiness for the majors.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 9:07pm by Ben Kaplan

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Cleveland Guardians prospect Travis Bazzana had a standout game in spring training on Saturday, hitting two home runs, including a grand slam, against quality pitchers from the San Francisco Giants. Bazzana's strong performance has raised questions about whether the team should consider calling him up to the majors sooner rather than later, despite their initial plans to start him in the minors.

Why it matters

Bazzana is one of the Guardians' top prospects, and his ability to hit for power against experienced pitchers in spring training suggests he may be ready to contribute at the major league level. The Guardians will have to weigh their long-term development plans for Bazzana against the potential short-term benefits of bringing him up to the big club.

The details

In the Guardians' 10-7 loss to the Giants on Saturday, Bazzana went 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs. His first homer came off former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray, while the second was a grand slam against Giants prospect Trevor McDonald. Bazzana's home runs were hit at 112.4 mph and 102.5 mph, respectively, demonstrating his impressive power.

  • On Saturday, March 21, Bazzana appeared for the Guardians in a Cactus League clash against the San Francisco Giants.
  • The Guardians are playing their final spring training game on Sunday, March 22, and Bazzana is not in the lineup.

The players

Travis Bazzana

A top prospect in the Cleveland Guardians' system who was the team's first-round pick in the 2024 MLB draft. Bazzana has impressed in spring training with his power hitting and is making a case for an early-season call-up to the majors.

Robbie Ray

A former Cy Young Award winner who Bazzana hit a home run against in spring training.

Trevor McDonald

A top-16 prospect in the San Francisco Giants' system, against whom Bazzana hit a grand slam in spring training.

Stephen Vogt

The manager of the Cleveland Guardians, who has praised Bazzana's performance in spring training and indicated the team plans to have him start the season in the minors to continue his development.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“They're obviously two really successful and quality pitchers. So it's always nice to win some battles against guys that have had really quality careers and are also currently succeeding. Obviously great, and I hope to continue that.”

— Travis Bazzana

“Travis has done well. He had a good camp with us. … We're excited to watch his season progress, and we know he can help us at some point.”

— Stephen Vogt, Manager, Cleveland Guardians

What’s next

The Guardians will have to decide whether to call up Bazzana to the major league roster at some point this season, based on his continued performance and development.

The takeaway

Bazzana's impressive spring training performance, including hitting home runs off experienced pitchers, suggests he may be ready to contribute at the major league level sooner than the Guardians had initially planned. The team will have to balance his development with the potential short-term benefits of bringing him up to the big club.