The Diamondbacks are buying first baseman Josh Naylor from the Guardians for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a Aggressive Stability Spherical B draft decide, in keeping with a report from ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Jon Heyman of the New York Put up first reported {that a} deal between the edges involving Naylor was shut. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported the draft decide’s inclusion within the deal. The groups have since introduced the commerce.
An All-Star for the primary time in 2024, Naylor hit a stable .243/.320/.456 (118 wRC+) with a career-high 31 homers in 152 video games for the Guardians this previous 12 months. That continues a three-year run of stable manufacturing from Naylor in Cleveland, as he’s posted a fair higher .267/.330/.465 (121 wRC+) slash line since turning into an everyday fixture of the Guardians’ lineup in 2022. Along with that stable 20-to-30 homer energy Naylor has displayed, he’s posted spectacular contact numbers with a strikeout fee of simply 15.6% throughout the previous three seasons. He’s paired that low strikeout fee with an enhancing stroll fee that reached 9.2% in 2024. In Arizona, the 27-year-old Naylor joins an offense that not solely misplaced Christian Walker at first base when he landed in Houston on a three-year deal earlier this week but in addition figures to offer the left-handed pop the membership misplaced when DH Joc Pederson elected free company final month.
He’s a stable match for that position, although with free company only one season a manner at an arbitration wage that MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz tasks to land at $12MM he lacks the excess worth extra engaging commerce targets sometimes provide. That rising price ticket in arbitration mixed with the presence of teenager Kyle Manzardo as an apparent successor at first made Naylor considerably expendable for the Guardians, nonetheless, and this night’s addition of veteran first baseman Carlos Santana to the Cleveland lineup on a one-year deal means that the Guardians might have most well-liked to reallocate Naylor’s projected wage and taking part in time to the 15-year MLB veteran.
In change for parting methods with the slugger they’ve added some draft capital and an intriguing younger arm in Cecconi. Aggressive Stability Spherical B encompassed the 66th by 73rd picks within the 2024 draft. As famous by MLB.com’s Joe Trezza, the Guardians already had the primary decide of Aggressive Stability Spherical B in 2025. Now, the membership will get a second decide in that very same spherical because the Diamondbacks have been slated to choose third behind Cleveland and Baltimore.
In the meantime, Cecconi is a former first-round choice by the Diamondbacks who has pitched in components of the final two seasons for the membership however has but to determine himself within the majors. He flashed league common numbers in an up-and-down position with Arizona in 2023, pitching to a 4.33 ERA (102 ERA+) with a 4.37 FIP in 27 innings unfold between 4 begins and three reduction appearances. These numbers took a tumble in an extended stint with the large league membership this 12 months, nonetheless. Cecconi struggled to a 6.66 ERA (63 ERA+) in 77 innings of labor. Whereas his 5.02 FIP was considerably higher, that determine was nonetheless properly under league common. Cecconi loved a superb 5% stroll fee within the majors final 12 months, however his 18.9% strikeout fee was lackluster and he allowed an eye-popping 16 homers in simply 20 video games.
Disastrous as his 2024 season was, nonetheless, Cecconi will now get a chance to maneuver to a membership well-regarded for its means to develop younger pitchers. Nonetheless simply 25, the right-hander’s 3.04 ERA and 29.5% strikeout fee in 47 innings on the Triple-A degree this 12 months provide some purpose for optimism concerning his future within the large leagues, whether or not that winds up being out of the rotation or the bullpen. After dropping Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb in free company and with Shane Bieber anticipated to not pitch till halfway by the 2025 season, Cleveland already added Luis Ortiz to their rotation earlier this winter. Cecconi might not be capable to break a rotation that now tasks to incorporate Ortiz alongside Tanner Bibee, Ben Vigorous, Gavin Williams, and Triston McKenzie on Opening Day, however he’ll present worth depth for the membership nonetheless.
Turning again to Arizona, the acquisition of Naylor brings the membership’s estimated payroll to $160MM in keeping with RosterResource. That leaves the membership with some further flexibility earlier than they attain their 2024 determine of $173MM, which Diamondbacks brass has beforehand indicated the 2025 payroll will probably find yourself within the neighborhood of. The membership is thought to be out there for reduction pitching and has beforehand expressed curiosity in a reunion with Pederson, although it’s attainable they consider the addition of Naylor fills the void created by Pederson’s departure.
With Naylor now set to hitch Eugenio Suarez, Zac Gallen, and Merrill Kelly as key Dbacks contributors slated at no cost company subsequent winter, it’s attainable the membership might additionally profit from being in longer-term assist for its lineup or rotation that may assist protect continuity alongside core items like Ketel Marte, Corbin Carroll, and Gabriel Moreno. Jordan Montgomery can be slated to succeed in free company subsequent winter, however the Diamondbacks haven’t been shy about trying to transfer him this winter and will release further payroll house by doing so.
