Naylor did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic,though he was on the team's initial 60-man player pool for the abbreviated season.[11][12] In 2021,he played with the Akron RubberDucks,slashing .188/.280/.332 with 10 home runs and 44 RBI over 87 games.[13] In June,Naylor was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game.[14] In 2022,with Akron,Naylor had a .271 average,.898 OPS and six home runs. He was promoted to the Columbus Clippers in June.[15]
The Guardians selected Naylor's contract on October 1,2022,adding him to their active roster.[16] He made his major league debut that night against the Kansas City Royals as a defensive replacement. He made his first start the next day.[17] He batted 0-for-8 with 5 strikeouts in 5 October games against the Royals.[18] He was the third catcher on Cleveland's playoff roster but did not play in the postseason.[19]
In March 2023,Naylor played for Canada in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.[20] The Guardians optioned Naylor to Columbus to start the 2023 season.[21] He was a top-70 prospect,according to MLB.com and Baseball America.[22] After appearing in one MLB game in May,he returned to Cleveland for good in late June. He earned his first MLB hit on June 21,a single against the Oakland Athletics. He played in 67 games for Cleveland in 2023,hitting .237/.339/.470 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI.[23]
On May 4,2024,Naylor hit his first career grand slam off Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels.[24] He finished his first full season in the majors batting .201/.264/.350 with 13 home runs. He was an average batter from June through August,faring poorly in other months. He was above average defensively,excelling at pitch framing,according to Statcast.[25][26] Naylor played all 10 Cleveland postseason games,going hitless in the first seven games before getting 4 hits,including 2 doubles,in the last three American League (AL) Championship Series games.[27]
Naylor played in 123 games for the second consecutive season in 2025,slashing .195/.282/.379. He batted 1-for-8 as the Guardians lost in the AL Division Series.[22][27]
Personal life
Naylor was born in Canada and is of Jamaican descent through his mother.[28] His older brother,Josh Naylor,was his teammate in Cleveland Guardians from 2022 to 2024.[29] Their younger brother,Myles Naylor,plays in the Athletics organization,[30] as does their cousin Denzel Clarke.[31]
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