Travis Bazzana’s rise in US baseball spurs hive of interest at Sydney grassroots clubs

The meteoric rise of a Sydney baseball player who is on the cusp of landing a potential pay deal worth millions is inspiring a new generation of up and coming talent in the sport.

The meteoric rise of a baseball player who honed his skills at a grassroots club on Sydney’s north shore is inspiring a new generation of up and coming talent in the sport.

Travis Bazzana is fast becoming one of the hottest names in the US baseball scene with the 21-year-old on the cusp of making history by being elected a top five pick at next week’s 2024 Major-league Baseball draft.

The selection could see Bazzana net a pay deal of upwards of $15 million – one of the biggest ever sums for an Australian-born player.

The bright lights of the American baseball scene are a world away from Wahroonga on Sydney’s north shore where Bazzana trained in the sport during his teens.

His success in the sport is spurring on a hive of excitement at his former club, the Ku-ring-gai Stealers Baseball and Softball Club, where members have been closely watching Bazzana’s rise through the baseball ranks.

Travis Bazzana – pictured here at age 11 – at the Wahroonga baseball ground.

Club president Shaun Joffee said Bazzana’s success is inspiring a new wave of up-and-coming baseball talent at the grassroots level.

“When you consider Travis started with a knee-high t-baller playing with us up until under-16s it really shows that the sky’s the limit,” he said.

“It’s given all of the kids the idea that anything is achievable if you put in the hard work and put your mind to it.

Travis Bazzana is making waves in the US baseball scene.

“Already it’s been terrific to see the kids have a twinkle in their eyes and they can see how anything is possible.

“As a small baseball and softball club, we’re over the moon.”

Bazzana joined the Steelers Club in his early teens before progressing to the Ryde Hawks as an under-18 player.

Travis Bazzana – pictured here at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles last year – grew up on the north shore.

He went on to represent the Sydney Blue Sox and Australia before landing a spot at Oregon State University in the US where he broke records for season home runs and stolen bases, and made the All-PAC-12 team.

Joffee said Bazanna’s love for the sport partly stemmed from his family’s love and affinity with baseball.

“He followed in the footsteps of his older brothers who both played and he was also really inspired by his father who is baseball tragic and has been heavily involved in growing our club,” Joffee said.

“Travis loved the sport from a very early age and always wanted to play with the big kids and would be in batting cages every night at our club at Wahroonga.”

Upwards of 100 people are expected to gather at the Steelers clubhouse in Wahroonga this Monday to watch a live broadcast of the MLB draft.

As well as club members, the viewing will also be attended by state and local politicians, officials from Baseball Australia, Baseball NSW and Softball NSW.