Josh Naylor Signs Multi-Year 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 news marks the reunification of one of the best hitters available in free agency with the team that prioritized his re-signing during the offseason.
Naylor, 28, arrived at the Mariners at the trade deadline and had an immediate impact on offense, defense, and on the bases, strengthening a position that had been a weak point for Seattle.
This five-year contract represents 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 as they seek to reach their first World Series in franchise history.
With his great energy and contagious enthusiasm, Naylor quickly found his place in Seattle. In 54 games with the Mariners, he 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, the left-handed hitter Naylor batted .295/.353/.462 with 20 home runs, 92 RBIs, and a career-high 3.1 WAR. As 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: he had 30 of 32 stolen base attempts despite being recorded as one of the slowest runners in the majors, ranking in the third percentile in sprint speed. Naylor often took a lead when walking from 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 was selected for 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, appearing in four postseasons.
Originally selected in the first round as the number 12 pick by the Miami Marlins in 2015 from Mississauga, Canada, Naylor is the oldest of three brothers who play baseball: Bo Naylor, selected at number 29 in 2018, is a catcher with the Guardians, and his younger brother, Myles, was the number 39 pick in 2023 and is a third baseman in the Athletics system.
