December 21, 2024
Naylor was traded from the Guardians to the Diamondbacks on Saturday in exchange for right-handed pitcher
Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance Round B draft pick,
Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSISArizona needed a first baseman after
Christian Walker signed with Houston on Friday, and Naylor should be slated to fill an everyday role for his new team. The 27-year-old tallied career-best marks with 31 home runs, 108 RBI and 84 runs over 632 plate appearances during the 2024 regular season while slashing .243/.320/.456 over 632 plate appearances. Naylor's batting average was a big drop-off from 2023, when he hit .308, but he finished as one of 14 big leaguers with 30-plus homers and 100-plus RBI. Naylor is in his final season of team control and can be a free agent at the end of the 2025 campaign.