Josh Naylor

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]

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.

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]