SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Josh Naylor didn’t ask to be in the Arizona Diamondbacks camp, and quite honesty was perfectly content staying in Cleveland.
He didn’t volunteer to be the one to replace three-time Gold Glove first baseman Christian Walker on the field, or his leadership in the clubhouse, but now he has no choice.
Naylor, one of eight first basemen to switch teams during the winter when he was traded by the Guardians in December for reliever Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick, knows that if he can replicate the power he displayed a year ago when he hit a career-high 31 homers and 108 RBI, everything will take care of itself.
He’s not going to bring the same defense as Walker and might not be as popular with the fans, but he can certainly follow Walker’s lead. Walker was the one who replaced All-Star Paul Goldschmidt, their perennial MVP candidate and fan favorite, in 2019. He took the opportunity and capitalized on it, receiving a three-year, $60 million free agent contract with the Houston Astros.
“He’s a phenomenal player,’’ Naylor, 27, said Monday, “and I know he was a popular leader, too. I would love to fill that role and step in those shoes and become that leader that he was in the locker room. Maybe a little bit of a voice and players that someone could come to in confidence and talk to when things are going rough or whatever, just be a good friend.
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“I’m not going to change the player I am. I’m just going to be myself and grow the most I can.’’
Certainly, Naylor did that as a hitter last year. He hit a career-high .308 in 2023 with 17 homers and 97 RBI with an .842 OPS, and then decided he wanted to hit more homers. His home run total leaped, but his batting average plummeted by 65 points to .243.
“I went into last season trying to hit more homers, knowing my average would fluctuate a little bit,’’ Naylor said. “My goal [now] is just to put both together. I want to be a complete hitter, have the .300 average, have the 30-plus homers, 100-plus RBI. I want to put all of those numbers together and have a great year.’’
The Diamondbacks will gladly take that kind of production. They haven’t had a first baseman hit at least .300 with 30 or more homers since 2015. They have the potential to get 60 homers from their corner infield spots with third baseman Eugenio Suarez having hit at least 30 homers in five of the last six full seasons.
Who knows, maybe he’ll be able to stick around awhile, too? Naylor, who says he didn’t pay attention to the Pete Alonso saga with the Mets, or really the entire free agent first base market at all, is eligible for free agency after the season. It’s too early to know where he’ll be playing in 2026, but he sure likes what he sees so far in the D-backs’ camp.
“This team is phenomenal,’ Naylor said, “extreme talent level here. Everyone is great in their own way. I’m looking forward to just learning everyone and learning how they play, fit into their game style. … Great team, great players, young squad, too. Hopefully, I’ll fit right in.’’
Of course, Naylor thought he was in an ideal situation in Cleveland, too. The Guardians stunned everyone last season by winning 92 games, winning the AL Central title, knocking off the Detroit Tigers in the AL Division Series, before losing to the New York Yankees in the ALCS.
Instead of building off that success, the Guardians scaled back and lowered their payroll, trading three-time Gold Glove second baseman Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays in a $100 million salary dump and then sending Naylor to Arizona.
Was Naylor, who will earn $10.9 million this year, surprised he was traded?
“I kind of had a feeling,’’ Naylor said, who was never approached by the Guardians about a contract extension. “Maybe the last few offseasons I kind of had a feeling. It happens. Baseball is a business. Kind of get used to this. It’s the fourth organization I’ve been with since I started playing pro ball. The first few trades are hard, but you get used to it.
“God plans things for you, and you never know what it’s going to be or where you’re going to be. Just go to roll with the punches, continue to grow and make the best out of opportunities.’’
OK, so not surprised Gimenez was dumped, either?
“Now him?’ Naylor said. “Yes. Very surprised.’’
It’s now the Guardians’ problem to figure out a way to repeat as AL Central champions after cutting their payroll to just $89 million. For the Diamondbacks, they’re going all in with a payroll exceeding $190 million, highest in franchise history, after signing ace Corbin Burnes to a club-record $210 million contract.
“It’s great, what a phenomenal pitcher,’’ Naylor said. “This team, they clearly want to win. I’m very thankful to be part of it.’’
While Naylor will definitely miss playing together with his 24-year-old brother Bo, the Guardians’ catcher, the brothers can at least stay together in the same house in spring training, along with 19-year-old brother Myles, a third baseman in the Athletics’ organization.
And together, they share a dream.
“Our parents, they really made all this happen for us,’’ Naylor said, “and we owe them a lot. I think that’s why we work so hard, to give back to them. One day, hopefully, [we’ll] be able to retire them and have them come out to every single game that they can.
“They did a phenomenal job raising us, and we’re very thankful.’’
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