Josh Naylor Bio
Joshua-Douglas James Naylor is a Canadian professional baseball first baseman for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians/Guardians, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Naylor was selected 12th overall by the Miami Marlins in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft. He was later traded to the Padres in 2016 and made his MLB debut with the team in 2019. Naylor has represented Canada in international competitions, including the World Baseball Classic.
Early Life and Background
Naylor was born on June 22, 1997, in Mississauga, Ontario. Growing up in Mississauga, a suburb located immediately west of Toronto, he was a Toronto Blue Jays fan from a young age. Naylor attended St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School, graduating in 2015. Naylor began his amateur career with the Ontario Blue Jays, an elite travel baseball team in the Canadian Premier Baseball League, composed of top young players from the Greater Toronto Area. He was the youngest player on the team, joining when he was 12 years old. Following his junior year of high school, Naylor was invited to the 2014 MLB Junior Select Home Run Derby during MLB All-Star Week, becoming the first Canadian to participate in the event.
Path to Baseball
Naylor committed to play college baseball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. In 2015, he was ranked among the top 50 prospects in that year’s Major League Baseball draft and earned selection to Baseball America’s High School All-American First Team. Naylor was selected 12th overall by the Miami Marlins in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft. He signed with the Marlins for a $2.25 million signing bonus and made his professional debut with the Rookie-level GCL Marlins. Naylor finished the 2015 season batting .327 with one home run and 16 runs batted in over 25 games.
Josh Naylor Career
Early Career (2015–2018)
Naylor began the 2016 season with the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers. After a mid-season trade to the San Diego Padres in 2016, he was assigned to the Advanced-A Lake Elsinore Storm, finishing the season with a combined batting average of .264 and 12 home runs. He continued to progress through the minor leagues, playing for the Double-A San Antonio Missions and the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. Naylor made his Major League Baseball debut on May 24, 2019, playing for the San Diego Padres against the Toronto Blue Jays. He finished the 2019 season batting .249 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs over 94 games.
Breakthrough (2020–2024)
Naylor was traded to the Cleveland Indians on August 31, 2020, where he made his first postseason appearance in the 2020 MLB postseason. He recorded five hits in his first five career postseason plate appearances, a historic achievement. Naylor suffered a significant injury in 2021, breaking and dislocating his ankle, which required surgery. He returned in 2022 and made headlines by becoming the first player in MLB history to hit two home runs of three runs or more in the ninth inning or later of the same game. Naylor earned his first career MLB All-Star selection in 2024, finishing the season with 31 home runs and 108 RBIs.
Notable Works and Milestones
Naylor is a two-time recipient of the Tip O’Neill Award, presented annually to the best Canadian baseball player, receiving the award in 2023 and 2025.
Josh Naylor Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Naylor has received multiple nominations, including his selection as an All-Star in 2024.
Josh Naylor Awards Won
Naylor has won the Tip O’Neill Award twice, in 2023 and 2025, recognizing him as one of the top Canadian baseball players.
Josh Naylor Family
Naylor is married to Chantel Collado, his high school sweetheart, and they have a daughter born in 2025.
Personal Life
Naylor is biracial, with a White Canadian father and a mother of Jamaican descent. He is the eldest of three brothers, all of whom are professional baseball players. Naylor and his brothers grew up playing ice hockey together.