First baseman Josh Naylor and the Seattle Mariners are in agreement on a five-year contract, sources told ESPN, reuniting one of the best free agent bats available with the team that made re-signing him its top offseason priority.
Acquired at the trade deadline by the Mariners, the 28-year-old Naylor made an immediate impact offensively, defensively and on the basepaths, solidifying a position that had been a weakness for Seattle.
The five-year deal, which is pending a physical, is the first major signing of baseball's offseason and adds Naylor to a strong Seattle core that helped the Mariners reach Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. He joins AL MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh, star center fielder Julio Rodriguez and a deep Mariners rotation as they look to reach the first World Series in franchise history.
With his high motor and infectious energy, Naylor immediately found a home in Seattle. In 54 games with the Mariners, Naylor hit .299/.341/.490 with nine home runs, 33 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 19 attempts. A solid average defender at first base, he helped the Mariners win their first division title since 2001 and then hit .340 with three home runs in 12 postseason games.
Combined with 93 games as an Arizona Diamondback this year, the left-handed Naylor hit .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 lowest strikeout rate among qualified batters.
The most shocking aspect to Naylor's season: He was 30-for-32 in stolen bases despite registering as one of the slowest runners in the majors, ranking in just the third percentile in sprint speed. Naylor would often get a walking lead off 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. Over his seven-year career, Naylor has hit .269/.329/.447 with 104 home runs, 435 RBIs and 55 steals, appearing in four postseasons.
Originally drafted in the first round as the 12th overall pick by the Miami Marlins in 2015 out of Mississauga, Canada, Naylor is the oldest of three baseball-playing brothers: Bo Naylor, drafted 29th overall in 2018, is a catcher with the Guardians, while their younger brother, Myles, was the 39th overall pick in 2023 and is a third baseman in the Athletics' system.
ESPN's David Schoenfield contributed to this report.
