The Diamondbacks acquire the first baseman Josh Naylor from the Guardians for right-handers Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick, according to a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman first reported that a deal between the sides involving Naylor was close. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported the draft pick’s inclusion in the deal.

Naylor, 27, is expected to replace Christian Walker at first base for the Diamondbacks after Walker landed in Houston on a three-year deal earlier this week. Naylor was an All-Star for the first time in 2024 and hit a solid .243/.320/.456 (118 wRC+) with a career-high 31 home runs in 152 games for the Guardians last year. This continues Naylor’s three years of solid performance in Cleveland, as he has an even better .267/.330/.465 (121 wRC+) slash line since becoming a staple in the Guardians lineup in 2022. Furthermore, in addition to the solid 20-for-30 home run power that Naylor has shown, he has posted impressive contact numbers with a strikeout rate of just 15.6% over the last three seasons. He has combined that low strikeout rate with an improving walk rate, reaching 9.2% in 2024.

More to come…