The Cleveland Guardians are hopeful that Bo Naylor can be their catcher of the future. He’s certainly shown the potential to do so, but the consistency hasn’t always been there.
Naylor has plenty of talent and can be a threat in their lineup, and insider Paul Hoynes recently revealed how Naylor can improve as a hitter.
“It just seems like sometimes the responsibility of running the staff, controlling the running game and then being a hitter as well, [Bo Naylor’s] had a hard time handling that. He’s got to find a way to separate the two. When he does, I think he’ll be a much better hitter,” Hoynes wrote.
That makes perfect sense. There’s a lot that comes with playing catcher, and he is still learning the ropes of MLB.
Manager Stephen Vogt stayed with him through thick and thin, even when he was also struggling defensively, despite having an elite defensive backstop like Austin Hedges on the bench. Clearly, Vogt has confidence in Naylor.
The 25-year-old reportedly changed his stance and approach at the plate. It paid off late in the season, when he finally seemed to be trending in the right direction.
Of course, teams rarely count on their catchers to be factors on offense. But with Naylor’s talent and physical tools, not helping him become a true All-Star-caliber slugger would feel like a disservice.
The Guardians will most likely continue to use him as the starting catcher to open next season. But if he struggles again, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that they will start exploring other options.
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