It took a while, but it seems like Bo Naylor is coming around for the Cleveland Guardians.
The young catcher struggled early in the season, but he’s now finding success, which includes a prestigious honor.
He has been nominated for the 2025 Roberto Clemente Award, which is given to an MLB player who “best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement and philanthropy, on and off the field.”
Bo Naylor has been nominated for the 2025 Roberto Clemente Award.
This award is given every year by Major League Baseball to a player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, and philanthropy, on and off the field.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/2jGvcVVREE
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) September 15, 2025
A first-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Naylor is finally looking like the player the Guardians hoped he’d be.
While his numbers might not be that impressive, the 25-year-old is trending in the right direction.
For the season, he’s slashing .187/.281/.362 with 12 home runs and 35 RBIs in 377 plate appearances.
He’s hitting .310 in September, with four doubles, four RBIs and one home run.
The advanced metrics also suggest an improvement, as his walk rate is up to 11.4 percent.
Of course, his strikeout rate of 24.4 percent is far from elite, but it’s better than last season.
Naylor is contributing when it matters the most, and the Guardians need all the help they can get as they pursue an AL Wild Card and a return to the playoffs.
Add in some improved defense, and the Guardians’ patience with Naylor is paying off.
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