According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Arizona Diamondbacks will trade for first baseman Josh Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland will receive right-hander Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick in return.
Full trade, per ESPN sources:
Arizona acquires: 1B Josh Naylor
Cleveland acquires: RHP Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance Round B draft pick
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 21, 2024
Diamondbacks Trade For Josh Naylor
Arizona will acquire Naylor, 27, one day after losing Christian Walker via free agency. In 633 plate appearances last year, Naylor hit .243/.320/.456 (118 OPS+) with a career-high 31 homers in 152 games. He supported these numbers with an above-league-average walk rate and a great strikeout rate. Naylor’s hot start helped earn him his first All-Star nomination this season.
Josh Naylor last year: .243/.320/.456, 31 HRs, 108 RBIs, All-Star
Left-handed bat, 27 years old and entering a walk year.
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) December 21, 2024
Unlike Walker, Naylor’s value comes solely from the bat. In 1,205 innings at first base in 2024, Naylor was worth -6 Defensive Runs Saved and one Out Above Average. He is also one of the slowest runners in the sport.
MLB Trade Rumors projects Naylor to earn $12 million in arbitration this winter. It’s slightly more than what Arizona paid Walker last season but significantly less than Walker will make annually on his new deal. Additionally, it’s unclear if the Diamondbacks are interested in signing Naylor, a free agent after 2025, to an extension.
Guardians Acquire Slade Cecconi, Sign Carlos Santana
To acquire Naylor, the Diamondbacks will trade away a high-upside arm in Cecconi. A former first-round pick, Cecconi has struggled in the majors in his career but features promise. Since making his debut in 2023, the 25-year-old has posted a 6.06 ERA (70 ERA+) in 104 innings.
Slade Cecconi is rated very well by both Pitching Bot and Eno Sarris’ Stuff/Pitching+
Hes a 25 year old with 5 years of control.
Plus extension, great command, and a fantastic slider.
Sound familiar?
— mlbfeeelit (@mlbfeeelit) December 21, 2024
Though he walked hitters at a very good five percent clip last season, he didn’t strike many batters out and gave up a whopping 16 home runs in 20 games. On the plus side, he limited hard contact and pitched better in the minors.
In 18 games (five starts) at Triple-A, Cecconi posted a 3.06 ERA with 54 strikeouts and 14 walks in 47 innings. The Guardians are known for getting the best out of pitchers and will look to do so with Cecconi.
Additionally, the Guardians will replace Naylor with old friend Carlos Santana, a signing reported right after the trade news broke.
Photo Credit: © Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
