Josh Naylor

Canadian baseball player (born 1997)

Baseball player
Josh Naylor
Naylor with the Cleveland Guardians in 2023
Cleveland Guardians – No. 22
First baseman / Outfielder
Born: (1997-06-22) June 22, 1997 (age 26)
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 24, 2019, for the San Diego Padres
MLB statistics
(through April 26, 2024)
Batting average.270
Home runs59
Runs batted in255
Teams
  • San Diego Padres (2019–2020)
  • Cleveland Indians / Guardians (2020–present)
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Canada
18U Baseball World Championship
Silver medal – second place 2012 Seoul Team

Joshua-Douglas James Naylor (born June 22, 1997) is a Canadian professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the San Diego Padres. Naylor was the 12th overall selection in the 2015 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut for the Padres in 2019. He was traded to the Cleveland Guardians during the 2020 season.

Amateur career

Throughout his amateur career, he played for the Ontario Blue Jays of the Premier Baseball League of Ontario (PBLO). This elite travel baseball team regularly competed in tournaments across North America, and was composed of the top young players in all of Ontario.

Naylor attended St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario. He made the Canadian junior national baseball team at the age of 15, winning the silver medal at the Under-18 Baseball World Cup held in South Korea in 2012.[1][2] He won the bronze medal at the 2014 Under-18 Baseball World Cup,[3] and competed in the 2015 Under-18 Baseball World Cup.[4]

Naylor in 2014

In 2014, Naylor was chosen as one of the ten high school invitees to the MLB Junior Select Home Run Derby during the MLB All-Star Week at Target Field, becoming the first Canadian to participate in the event.[5][6] He finished in second place.[2] Later in 2014, he appeared in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park and the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game at Wrigley Field.[7]

Naylor was committed to enroll at Texas Tech University to play college baseball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders baseball team.[8] In 2015, Perfect Game ranked Naylor among the top 50 available prospects available in the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, and he made Baseball America's High School All-American first team.[9]

Professional career

Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins selected Naylor in the first round, with the 12th overall selection, of the 2015 MLB draft.[10][11] He signed with the Marlins after his June 25 graduation from St. Joan of Arc for a reported signing bonus of $2.25 million, and was assigned to the Gulf Coast Marlins of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League for his professional debut.[12][13] Naylor played in 25 total games for the Marlins posting a .327 batting average with one home run and 16 RBIs.

Naylor began the 2016 season with the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the Class A South Atlantic League.[14] In June he was suspended without pay after injuring teammate Stone Garrett with a knife as part of a prank.[15] He was selected to appear in the 2016 All-Star Futures Game.[16]

San Diego Padres

On July 29, 2016, the Marlins traded Naylor, Carter Capps, Jarred Cosart, and Luis Castillo to the San Diego Padres for Andrew Cashner, Colin Rea, Tayron Guerrero, and cash considerations.[17] Naylor was assigned to the Lake Elsinore Storm of the Class A-Advanced California League. In 122 games between the Grasshoppers and the Storm, Naylor batted .264 with 12 home runs and 75 runs batted in.[18]

Naylor with the San Diego Padres

Naylor played for Team Canada in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.[19] He began the 2017 season with Lake Elsinore.[20] The Padres promoted him to the San Antonio Missions of the Class AA Texas League in July.[21] Naylor finished 2017 with a combined .280 average with ten home runs and 64 RBIs between both clubs.[22] He returned to San Antonio in 2018, and began playing as an outfielder.[23]

Naylor opened the 2019 season with the El Paso Chihuahuas of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.[24]

On May 24, 2019, Naylor was called up to the San Diego Padres.[25] He made his MLB debut that night versus the Toronto Blue Jays.

Cleveland Indians / Guardians

On August 31, 2020, the Padres traded Naylor, along with Austin Hedges, Cal Quantrill, and minor league players Gabriel Arias, Owen Miller, and Joey Cantillo, to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Mike Clevinger, Greg Allen, and Matt Waldron.[26] In the 2020 American League Wild Card Series, Naylor recorded five hits in his first five career postseason plate appearances, the first player in MLB history to do so.[27]

During a game against the Minnesota Twins on June 27, 2021, Naylor collided with second baseman Ernie Clement while trying to catch a pop up in shallow right field. He broke and dislocated his ankle, which required season ending surgery.[28]

On May 9, 2022, in a game against the Chicago White Sox, Naylor became the first player in Major League history to hit two three-run home runs or grand slams in the ninth inning or later of the same game. He also became the first player to have at least eight RBI in the eighth inning or later since RBI became an official statistic in 1920. His first one was a game-tying grand slam in the top of the 9th off of Liam Hendriks to tie the game at eight runs apiece then his second was a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the 11th off of Ryan Burr which would win the game 12–9.[29]

On January 13, 2023, Naylor agreed to a one-year, $3.35 million contract with the Guardians, avoiding salary arbitration.[30]

Player profile

Naylor is 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighs 250 pounds (110 kg).[2] He profiles as a power hitter,[4] and Greg Hamilton, the coach of the Canadian national junior team, described Naylor's hitting approach as "advanced".[31]

Personal life

Naylor is the eldest of three brothers, Noah and Myles, born to Chris and Jenice Naylor[32] in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. His brother Noah-Gibson "Bo" Naylor was drafted in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians,[33] His younger brother, Myles Naylor, plays for the Oakland Athletics organization.[34] Naylor is currently engaged to singer-songwriter Chantel Collado, as of June 12, 2023.[35]

References

  1. ^ "Future looks bright for young baseball star". The Mississauga News. September 25, 2012. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Josh Naylor loses Junior Home Run Derby". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. July 15, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  3. ^ "Baseball Canada – Naylor, Orimoloye named High School All-Americans". baseball.ca. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Naylor, Orimoloye among Canada's best youth players". Toronto Blue Jays. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  5. ^ "Mississauga's Josh Naylor selected for home run derby". The Mississauga News. June 25, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  6. ^ John Lott (July 14, 2014). "Canadian Josh Naylor gets berth in junior home run derby as part of MLB All-Star Game festivities". National Post. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  7. ^ Rogers Digital Media. "CBN: Teenage star Naylor puts Canada on map". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  8. ^ Colpitts, Iain (October 23, 2014). "Naylor commits to Texas Tech". The Mississauga News. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  9. ^ "Canada's baseball future on display". Toronto Sun. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  10. ^ "Lefty slugger Josh Naylor is top pick for Marlins in draft". The Miami Herald. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  11. ^ Rogers Digital Media. "Naylor soon to become household Canadian name". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  12. ^ Frisario, Joe (June 13, 2015). "First-rounder visits Miami, hits 'em out in BP: Naylor, drafted 12th overall on Monday, reaches second deck in first action at future home". MLB.com. Retrieved June 14, 2015.
  13. ^ De Nicola, Christina (July 2, 2015). "Marlins sign 12th pick of First-Year Player Draft Josh Naylor". FOX Sports Florida. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  14. ^ "Marlins prospect Isael Soto back with Grasshoppers after knee injury last season | Sports". greensboro.com. April 5, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  15. ^ Mills, Jeff (June 6, 2016). "Prank gone wrong costs Grasshoppers two top prospects". Greensboro News & Record. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  16. ^ Mills, Jeff (June 28, 2016). "Grasshoppers slugger Josh Naylor picked to play in All-Star Futures Game". Greensboro News & Record. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  17. ^ "Padres acquire four players from Miami Marlins in seven-player trade". MLB.com (Press release). July 29, 2016. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved July 29, 2016.
  18. ^ "Naylor comfortable in first Padres camp". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  19. ^ "WBC an education for Padres minor leaguers". The San Diego Union-Tribune. July 13, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  20. ^ "Josh Naylor dominating in return to Cal League". The San Diego Union-Tribune. May 27, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  21. ^ "Cal Quantrill, Josh Naylor promoted to San Antonio". The San Diego Union-Tribune. July 13, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  22. ^ "Josh Naylor Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  23. ^ "Naylor leaves yard twice for Missions". MiLB.com. May 23, 2016. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  24. ^ Felix F. Chávez (April 5, 2019). "El Paso Chihuahuas outfielder Josh Naylor one to watch out for this season". El Paso Times. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  25. ^ Matt Hornick (May 24, 2019). "Mississauga native Josh Naylor to make MLB debut for Padres in Canada". Sporting News. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  26. ^ "Cleveland Indians trade Mike Clevinger, Greg Allen and player to be named to San Diego for six players". cleveland. August 31, 2020.
  27. ^ "Naylor makes postseason history at the plate". MLB.com. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  28. ^ "Indians' Naylor has broken ankle after collision". ESPN.com. June 28, 2021.
  29. ^ "8 RBIs ... starting in the 8th?! History for Naylor". MLB.com. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  30. ^ "2023 MLB Arbitration Tracker". MLBTradeRumors. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  31. ^ Toman, Chris (September 22, 2013). "Naylor, Orimoloye impressing at Tournament 12". MLB.com. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
  32. ^ "Big Time Power Hitting '15 Josh Naylor Breaks Down Past, Present and Future". Prep Baseball Report. October 16, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  33. ^ Melissa Couto (July 12, 2017). "Naylor brothers Josh, Noah rising on MLB radar | Toronto Star". Thestar.com. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  34. ^ "Meet the 3rd Naylor brother, who's waiting in the wings". MLB.com.
  35. ^ "CHANTEL on Instagram: "06.12.23 💍 ~ I choose you forever, baby ♾️ • @annielouisewilkins 📸"". Instagram.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Josh Naylor.
  • Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
  • Josh Naylor on Instagram
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