The Miami Marlins picked first baseman Josh Naylor with the 12th overall choice in the first round of the 2015 amateur draft.
That summer, he made his pro debut with the GCL Marlins, hitting.327 in 25 games. He was chosen All-Star first baseman after hitting.484/.556/.903 for Canada in the 2015 U-18 Baseball World Cup.
He has a reputation for enjoying practical jokes and pranks, but in June of 2016, he hurt teammate and fellow prospect Stone Garrett in a knife prank.
Garrett required sutures and had nerve damage in his thumb, which necessitated surgery, according to the Marlins.
For his part in the scandal, Naylor received a one-game suspension.
On the field, he was selected to play for the World squad in the 2016 Futures Game before being moved to the San Diego Padres on July 29th as part of a seven-player blockbuster deal that also included starting pitchers Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea.
He played in the 2017 World Baseball Classic for Canada, but he got minimal action because Freddie Freeman started at first base and Justin Morneau was the designated hitter.
In 2017, he returned to the Futures Game as a member of the World team. After signing Eric Hosmer to a long-term free agent contract in 2018, the Padres moved him from first base to the outfield, securing the position for the foreseeable future.
He hit.297/.383/.447 with 17 home runs and 74 RBIs in 128 games with the San Antonio Missions of the AA Texas League that year.
Who Does Josh Naylor Play For?
Josh Naylor plays for the Cleveland Guardians of Major League Baseball.