The Cleveland Guardians have much more than just a catcher in Bo Naylor.
He has also proven to be a leader for the organization.
That’s why he is a nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.
Naylor recently gave his reaction to that honor.
“It’s super humbling. To be represented in that way is super special to me, super special to my family. It’s definitely not something that I take lightly. It came as a surprise when the team first told me. I’m just super grateful,” Naylor said. “To be nominated in any way, shape or form to represent that type of legacy, no matter how small. I’m super grateful to be in this position.”
The annual award is given to the player who “best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field,” as Clemente did during his Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Fans will vote among six finalists to determine the winner.
Naylor hasn’t typically made news for his on-field performance, but his status off the field has been exemplary.
He has been much better at the plate lately, not swinging and missing as often as he did earlier, and his defensive miscues haven’t been as common, either.
He’s paying back the confidence manager Stephen Vogt had in him.
There were some rumblings about Austin Hedges taking over as the full-time catcher, but while the defense-oriented veteran would’ve given the Guardians some much-needed experience, Vogt stuck by Naylor.
The Guardians are looking to finish the season on a high note as they chase an AL playoff berth.
While they’re not necessarily counting on Naylor’s offensive contributions, they would certainly be welcome.
In the meantime, he will continue to give back to the community as a role model.
NEXT: Analyst Makes Big Prediction About Guardians Amid Playoff Push
