During Josh Naylor’s five-year tenure with the Guardians, he went from an energetic outfield prospect to a slugging, All-Star first baseman.
Last offseason, the Guardians capitalized on that rise by trading Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance B Draft pick that turned into left-handing pitching prospect Will Hynes.
On Thursday night, the Diamondbacks pulled the plug on their 2025 season by trading Naylor to the Seattle Mariners, which provides another reminder the Guardians won their trade for Naylor and made the move at the right time.
Newest Josh Naylor trade shows how much the Guardians fleeced the Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks kicked the trade season off by sending Naylor up the West Coast in exchange for pitching prospects LHP Brandyn Garcia and RHP Ashton Izzi, both of whom ranked as top-30 prospects in the team’s system, per MLB Pipeline.