Travis Bazzana’s All-Star appearance in Philadelphia on Tuesday gave the 2024 Draft class another milestone, and it also kept his name right in the middle of a growing conversation about early extensions.
Bazzana technically became the first player from that draft class to show up in an All-Star Game, even though he was joined in the honor by fellow draftees Nick Kurtz and Chase Burns, who were named All-Stars but did not play. Two days later, Burns added a much bigger line to his résumé: a seven-year, $105 million deal with the Reds that locks in his future with no deferrals and no option years.
Right-hander Chase Burns and the Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a seven-year, $105 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Burns, 23, was an All-Star this season and one of the best young pitchers in baseball.
No club options. A straight deal that will run through 2033.
- Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 16, 2026
Burns is now the third member of that draft class to land a long-term extension, following Pirates infielder Konnor Griffin, who signed for nine years and $140 million, and Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt, who agreed to an eight-year, $112.5 million deal.
Those numbers have naturally put pressure on the Guardians to think about Bazzana, but Burns’ contract may be the more useful blueprint. It comes in at a lower price, and that could matter for Cleveland if it wants to get ahead of the market with its own young star.
The reason Burns landed at a more manageable figure is obvious enough: pitchers carry more risk. Bazzana isn’t on the mound, so the comparison isn’t perfect. Still, a deal in the same general low nine-figure range would be a major win for the Guardians.
That would likely come in below the Griffin and Wetherholt contracts, but Bazzana is also not in the same place those two were when they signed. Griffin had already piled up 1.6 bWAR at shortstop before a torn finger tendon stopped him, while Wetherholt had built a reputation as one of baseball’s best defenders and was hitting .755 OPS in 90 games.
Bazzana’s own path has been bumpier lately. He was an All-Star, but he has slumped to 26-for-135 over his last 35 games, and his defense at second base has been so shaky that fans have steadily pushed the idea of moving him to the outfield.
None of that erases what Bazzana can become. But it does create a window for the Guardians. If they want to work out a long-term deal before the landscape shifts, this is the kind of moment that can make the price more palatable.
That timing matters, too, because the league is staring at a possible lockout that could alter how teams control players through arbitration. A Bazzana extension now would remove that uncertainty from the equation.
So while Bazzana may be a little behind Griffin and Wetherholt in terms of early production, that doesn’t mean the Guardians are behind the curve. It may actually give them a chance to strike at a discount. Burns’ extension is the latest reminder of how that path can work.
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