The Arizona Diamondbacks have solved their hole at first base by acquiring 27-year-old Josh Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians in a trade on Saturday night as the MLB hot stove refuses to go cold before the holidays.
In exchange for Christian Walker's replacement, the Guardians received right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance Round B draft pick.
Naylor was the 12th overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins before being traded to the San Diego Padres in 2016 and then to the Guardians in 2020. The first baseman hit .243 this past season with 31 HRs and 108 RBI, making his first All-Star Game appearance.
Full trade, per ESPN sources:
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 21, 2024
Arizona acquires: 1B Josh Naylor
Cleveland acquires: RHP Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance Round B draft pick
The Diamondbacks needed to find a first baseman after Walker left for free agency and was recently signed by the Houston Astros. Naylor, 27, is a younger version of Walker (who turns 34 in 2025) and offered similar stats through 2024. Walker is coming off his third consecutive Gold Glove, but Naylor had a respectable .992 fielding position in 137 games. Naylor also hit five more HRs and logged 20 more RBI than Walker this past season.
The Diamondbacks could have moved Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to first base, but this trade allows him to stay in the outfield while getting some DH reps. The trade also gives the Diamondbacks a middle-of-the-order power bat on the left side of the plate.
Naylor is on a one-year contract worth $14.2 million — his final year of arbitration eligibility — though an extension may be in the near future. However, the Diamondbacks did not give up much in the trade, so this could be a one-year-and-done move unless he has a big year, with extension talks behind held off until next offseason.
The Guardians quickly replaced Naylor by signing Carlos Santana to a one-year $12 million contract. Santana has played 10 seasons of his 15-year career with the Guardians. In the trade, the Guardians received a young pitcher who has struggled in his two-year career and a competitive balance pick after the second-round finishes.
First baseman Carlos Santana and the Cleveland Guardians are in agreement on a one-year, $12 million contract, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. The Guardians traded Josh Naylor, and now they bring the 38-year-old Santana back for his third stint with the organization.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 21, 2024
Cecconi pitched in 20 games in 2024, starting in 13, and posted a 6.66 ERA. He struck out 64 hitters in 77 innings, so the 25-year-old shows flashes of being able to compete in the majors.
The Guardians wanted young talent in return, but probably lost this trade. Yes, Naylor is projected to sign a new contract averaging $20 million per year after 2025, but Cecconi has been abysmal in his two years in MLB, and it's uncertain what the result of their draft pick will be.