The Cleveland Guardians finally went through with their plan of trading first baseman Josh Naylor on Saturday.
They got young pitcher Slade Cecconi and an early round draft pick in 2025, which isn’t a bad return considering Naylor had only one season of team control remaining.
These decisions are always difficult for Guardians’ president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti because Naylor and Andrés Giménez, who was also traded in the off-season, were fan favorites.
The executive did mention that he needs to build for the future in addition to the present.
“On a Zoom call, Guardians president of baseball ops Chris Antonetti said trading Josh Naylor was difficult in part because of the need to make a deal that can “balance both the present and the future,” Tom Withers, who covers the team for AP, posted on X.
On a Zoom call, Guardians president of baseball ops Chris Antonetti said trading Josh Naylor was difficult in part because of the need to make a deal that can "balance both the present and the future."
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) December 22, 2024
In this specific case, it’s clear that having Naylor around in 2025 would have helped the ‘present’ Guardians.
He might not walk much but there is plenty of power in Naylor’s left-handed bat.
The problem is that he will be a free agent after the 2025 campaign, and the Guards weren’t going to extend him due to concerns about his conditioning, his low walk rate, his lack of defensive value and the position he plays.
They decided to prioritize the future and get Cecconi, a flawed but potentially coachable asset who is 25 and will be under cheap team control for five more years.
Additionally, they get a draft pick inside the top 75 as a bonus.
Considering the circumstances, the Guardians did very well.
Naylor’s production will be missed, though.
NEXT: Guardians Might Have A Diamond In The Rough In Recently Acquired Pitcher
