Josh Naylor Signs Multi-Million Dollar Contract with the Mariners
First baseman Josh Naylor has signed a five-year contract to return to the Seattle Mariners, the team announced this Monday. This agreement ensures the continuity of one of the most outstanding hitters in the free agent market with the team that prioritized his re-signing this offseason. The contract guarantees Naylor’s presence until the 2030 season, includes a complete no-trade clause, and is valued at $92.5 million, with no deferrals. Acquired by the Mariners at the trade deadline, Naylor, 28, had an immediate impact on offense, defense, and on the bases, strengthening a position that had been a weakness for Seattle.This five-year contract is the first major signing of the baseball offseason and adds Naylor to a solid Seattle core that helped the Mariners reach Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. He joins American League MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh, star center fielder Julio Rodríguez, and a deep Mariners rotation, who are looking to reach their first World Series in franchise history. With his great energy and contagious enthusiasm, Naylor found a home in Seattle. In 54 games with the Mariners, Naylor batted .299/.341/.490 with nine home runs, 33 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases in 19 attempts. As a solid average defender at first base, he helped the Mariners win their first division title since 2001 and then batted .340 with three home runs in 12 postseason games. Combined with 93 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks this season, Naylor, a lefty, batted .295/.353/.462 with 20 home runs, 92 RBIs, and a career-high 3.1 WAR. An aggressive hitter with excellent contact skills, Naylor ranked in the top 20 in the lowest strikeout rate among qualified hitters. The most surprising thing about Naylor’s season was his performance in stolen bases: 30 of 32 attempts, despite being one of the slowest runners in the majors, ranking in the third percentile in sprint speed. Naylor often took advantage of first base and was perfect in stolen base attempts with Seattle, even as teams became more aware of his tactics. The Diamondbacks had acquired Naylor last offseason from the Cleveland Guardians, where Naylor hit 31 home runs in 2024 and made the All-Star team. Throughout his seven-year career, Naylor has batted .269/.329/.447 with 104 home runs, 435 RBIs, and 55 stolen bases, participating in four postseasons. Originally drafted in the first round as the number 12 pick by the Miami Marlins in 2015 in Mississauga, Canada, Naylor is the oldest of three brothers who play baseball: Bo Naylor, drafted at number 29 in 2018, is a catcher for the Guardians, and his younger brother, Myles, was the number 39 pick in 2023 and is a third baseman in the Athletics system.“I’m going to be a Mariner once again and couldn’t be more excited,” Naylor stated in a statement issued by the team. “From the moment I arrived, everyone in the organization welcomed and helped me. The players embraced me and loved my game immediately, and the fans were incredible. Seattle has the best fans in baseball. They are electrifying and support us unconditionally, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. I can’t wait to keep playing with these guys and bring a championship to the city.”
Josh Naylor
