From a rocky start to a rocket of a home run—Travis Bazzana is officially making his mark in the majors. The Cleveland Guardians rookie, selected first overall in the 2024 amateur draft, launched his first big league homer in spectacular fashion on Friday night, powering Cleveland to a 6-4 win over the Minnesota Twins.

Bazzana began his MLB career hitless in 12 at-bats, but he never panicked. "I just kept the same approach," he said. "I knew if I stayed consistent, the hits would come." And come they have. Over the past week, the 21-year-old has been on fire, going 6 for 18 with four RBIs since that slow start.

The big moment arrived in the first inning. With José Ramírez on first and two outs, Bazzana crushed a 1-1 slider from Twins pitcher Connor Prielipp 427 feet into the Guardians' bullpen in center field. The blast made it 4-0 and stands as the second-longest homer by a Cleveland player this season. "I got it good," Bazzana said with a grin. "I just hustled and tried to yell it out."

That home run also carried historic weight. Bazzana became the first Australian-born player ever selected first overall in the MLB draft, and he's now the 10th Aussie to homer in the big leagues. The first was Joe Quinn back in 1886 for the St. Louis Maroons, while Dave Nilsson holds the Australian record with 105 homers for the Milwaukee Brewers (1992–1999). Bazzana is one of two Australians currently in the majors, joining Curtis Mead of the Washington Nationals.

But Bazzana wasn't done. In the eighth inning, he beat out a potential inning-ending double-play ball, then promptly stole second and third base before scoring on an Austin Hedges single to push Cleveland's lead to 6-3. His two steals gave him six since May 2—the most by any Guardians player in that span and a league-leading mark.

"He's been pushing the pace since he got here," said Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt. "He looks comfortable. He looks like he belongs. And tonight, he crushed that ball."

For a player who started 0 for 12, Bazzana's rise has been swift and impressive. With his combination of power, speed, and poise, the Guardians' top pick is already showing why he was the No. 1 choice—and why fans should be excited for what's next.