Josh Naylor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josh Naylor
Naylor with the Cleveland Guardians in 2023
Arizona Diamondbacks – No. 22
First baseman
Born: (1997-06-22) June 22, 1997 (age 27) Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Bats: Left Throws: Left
debut
May 24, 2019, for the San Diego Padres
MLB statistics (through 2024 season)
Batting average	.262
Home runs	84
Runs batted in	343
Teams
San Diego Padres (2019–2020) Cleveland Indians / Guardians (2020–2024)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (2024)
Medals Men's baseball Representing CAN 18U Baseball World Championship Silver 2012 Seoul Team

Josh Naylor (born June 22, 1997) is a Canadian professional baseball player. He plays as a first baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks in Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played for the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Guardians.

The Miami Marlins chose Naylor as the 12th player picked in the 2015 MLB draft. They traded him to the Padres in 2016. He played his first MLB game in 2019. The Padres traded Naylor to Cleveland in 2020. He was chosen as an MLB All-Star in 2024. After the 2024 season, the Guardians traded him to the Diamondbacks.

Early Baseball Years: Amateur Career

Josh Naylor played for the Ontario Blue Jays, a top youth baseball team in Ontario, Canada. This team played in many tournaments across North America.

Naylor went to St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario. When he was 15, he joined the Canadian junior national baseball team. He won a silver medal at the Under-18 Baseball World Cup in South Korea in 2012. He also won a bronze medal at the 2014 Under-18 Baseball World Cup. He played in the 2015 Under-18 Baseball World Cup too.

Naylor in 2014

In 2014, Naylor was one of ten high school players invited to the MLB Junior Select Home Run Derby. This event was part of the MLB All-Star Week. He was the first Canadian to join this competition and finished in second place. Later in 2014, he played in two important games: the Perfect Game All-American Classic and the Under Armour All-America Baseball Game.

Naylor had planned to play college baseball at Texas Tech University. Perfect Game and Baseball America both listed him as a top young player for the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft.

Playing Professionally: MLB Journey

Starting with the Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins picked Josh Naylor in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft. He was the 12th player chosen overall. He signed with the Marlins after graduating from high school. He started his professional career with the Gulf Coast Marlins. In 25 games, he had a .327 batting average with one home run and 16 RBIs.

Naylor started the 2016 season with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. He was chosen to play in the 2016 All-Star Futures Game.

Moving to the San Diego Padres

On July 29, 2016, the Marlins traded Naylor to the San Diego Padres. He then played for the Lake Elsinore Storm. In 122 games that year, he batted .264 with 12 home runs and 75 RBIs.

Naylor with the San Diego Padres

Naylor played for Team Canada in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He later moved up to the San Antonio Missions. In 2017, he had a combined .280 average with ten home runs and 64 RBIs. In 2018, he started playing as an outfielder too.

Naylor began the 2019 season with the El Paso Chihuahuas. On May 24, 2019, he was called up to play in the major leagues for the first time. He played his first MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays. In his first year, he played 94 games, hitting .249 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs. In 2020, he batted .278 with one home run and four RBIs for San Diego.

Time with the Cleveland Guardians

On August 31, 2020, the Padres traded Naylor to the Cleveland Indians (now Cleveland Guardians). In the 2020 American League Wild Card Series, Naylor made history. He got five hits in his first five times at bat in the postseason. No other player in MLB history had done that before.

On June 27, 2021, Naylor was injured during a game. He broke and dislocated his ankle, which needed surgery. This injury ended his season. He had hit .253 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs in 69 games.

On May 9, 2022, Naylor had an amazing game against the Chicago White Sox. He became the first player in MLB history to hit two three-run home runs or grand slams in the ninth inning or later in the same game. He also became the first player since 1920 to have at least eight RBIs in the eighth inning or later. He hit a game-tying grand slam in the 9th inning. Then, he hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the 11th inning to win the game 12–9. In 2022, Naylor played 122 games, hitting .256 with 20 home runs and 79 RBIs.

In 2023, Naylor signed a one-year contract with the Guardians. He played 121 games, batting .308 with 17 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. In 2024, he played 152 games, hitting .243 with a career-high 31 home runs and 108 RBIs.

Joining the Arizona Diamondbacks

On December 21, 2024, the Guardians traded Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Player Skills and Profile

Josh Naylor is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 257 pounds. He is known as a power hitter, meaning he hits the ball with great force. Greg Hamilton, his coach on the Canadian junior team, said Naylor's hitting style was "advanced."

Personal Life and Family

Josh Naylor is the oldest of three brothers. His parents are Chris and Jenice Naylor. His brothers, Bo Naylor and Myles Naylor, also play professional baseball. Bo was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians, and Myles plays for the Oakland Athletics organization. Josh Naylor married singer-songwriter Chantel Collado in January 2025.

|