Guardians take Oregon State's Bazzana with No. 1 pick of MLB draft - ESPN

FORT WORTH, Texas — Australian second baseman Travis Bazzana was taken by the Cleveland Guardians with the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball's amateur draft Sunday, and three players from Wake Forest were selected in the top 10.

A former cricket, rugby and soccer player who came to the United States to play baseball for Oregon State, the 21-year-old hit .407 with 28 homers and 66 RBIs this season. He became the first Australian and first second baseman taken No. 1.

«An opportunity to make an impact on a lot of baseball players and a lot of people back home in Australia, and hopefully change the narrative for baseball there,» Bazzana said.

Bazzana hit .360 over three seasons at Oregon State with 45 homers, 165 RBIs, 180 walks and 66 steals.

Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said the team made its decision Sunday.

«He recognizes pitches exceedingly well,» Antonetti said. «He knows the strike zone, makes good swing decisions, when he does choose to swing makes elite-level contact. And I think what's really grown in Travis' game over the past year or so is the ability to add impact and drive the ball.»

Baseball's No. 1 selection this year had a slot value of $10,570,600 under the bonus pools system that began in 2012.

Cleveland had the top pick for the first time since the draft began in 1965, winning a weighted lottery in December despite having a 2% chance. The lottery began last year as part of a collective bargaining agreement provision to discourage struggling teams from deliberately trying for a top draft pick by getting rid of veterans.

Wake Forest right-hander Chase Burns went second to Cincinnati, first baseman Nick Kurtz was fourth to Oakland and third baseman/outfielder Seaver King 10th