The Diamondbacks acquired Josh Naylor as a stopgap at first base after losing Christian Walker to the Houston Astros in free agency. Naylor is already in town and had a chance to speak with the media on Monday for the first time since the trade.
Naylor is no stranger to trades, this being the third time he's been moved since entering pro ball as a first rounder with the Miami Marlins in 2015. He's bounced around with the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Guardians before getting dealt to Arizona for right-hander Slade Cecconi and their Competitive Balance Round B pick, No. 72 overall.
"Kind of had a feeling. Maybe last few offseasons kind of had a feeling. This is the fourth organization I've been with since I started playing pro ball. First few trades are hard. Then you get used to it, you understand it's a business."
Josh Naylor on the trade: "Kind of had a feeling. Maybe last few offseasons kind of had a feeling ... This is the fourth organization I've been with since I started playing pro ball. First few trades are hard. Then you get used to it, you understand it is a business."
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) February 10, 2025
The Diamondbacks are hoping he can repeat his 2024 performance when he hit 31 home runs and was named to his first All-Star game appearance. He'll be a big part of their lineup, filling in Walker's cleanup spot in the order.
"Felt like he fits into the middle of our lineup pretty significantly, the thump," said general manager Mike Hazen at the time of the trade. "He's a good hitter. He's got really good makeup. We felt like it was a nice fit in our clubhouse with the guys that we have. We think it's going to be a good match with all the work we did."
It didn't take long for Naylor to take notice of his new teammates and what they bring to the table.
"Extreme talent level here," Naylor told Arizona Sports' Alex Weiner. "Everyone is great in their own way. I'm looking forward to just learning everyone and then learn how they play, fit into the game style, fit into their game style, observe. I’m very big observer and try to take little things from people’s approaches, the way people swing, the way people play defense and just kind of add it to my game. See if it fits, see if it doesn’t and then go from there."
Josh Naylor’s impression of the Diamondbacks’ roster: pic.twitter.com/8eyyUOg2Hf
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) February 10, 2025
The one area where Naylor is below Walker is defense. He's not the best suited defensively but has graded well enough in Outs Above Average in each of the past four years, going at +7 over the past three years as a primary first baseman. In 2024, he was at +1, and being a left-handed thrower has its advantages at the position.
Naylor will try to combine his ability to hit for a good average in 2023, when he hit .308 with 17 home runs, with the power increase from 2024. If that is the case, then he will be set for a lucrative deal and Arizona will reap the rewards of a first round selection, like with Walker.