2025 Fantasy Baseball: Bo Naylor Profile, Preview, Predictions
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Bo Naylor brings a value-breakout feel to the catcher position this year. His average hit rate suggests over home run if given 450 at-bats, and he has 20 stolen bases on his resume in 2022 in the minors.
445 feet, 109.6 MPH 😤
— MLB (@MLB) September 18, 2024
Josh Naylor has his 30th home run of the season! pic.twitter.com/CQCgRzZp5a
C – Bo Naylor, CLE (ADP – 294.8)
After posting a short batting average (.189) at AA in 2021, Naylor showed an improved approach at AA to 2022, leading to him hitting .271 with 29 runs, six home runs, 21 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases over 171 at-bats. His power (15 home runs and 47 RBIs) showed more life after the move to AAA while batting .257 with 44 runs and nine steals.
In 2023, Naylor had a productive 217 at-bats at AAA (.254/45/13/48/2) while finishing with an elite walk rate (18.1 – 13.3 in his career). His strikeout rate (19.3) beat the league average for the first time in his career. Cleveland called him up in mid-June. Naylor struggled over his first 133 at-bats (.203 with 16 runs, five home runs, and 16 RBIs) while striking out 27.5% of the time. His approach (strikeout rate – 14.8 and walk rate – 17.3) was much better over his final 65 at-bats (.308/17/6/16/4).
The Guardians didn’t commit to Naylor as a full-time catcher last season. He made 105 starts, but Cleveland never gave him more than 70 at-bats in any month. He hit under .200 in April (.188), May (.164), July (.189), and September (.167) while never delivering a winning fantasy month. His strikeout rate (31.4) was a significant issue.
Naylor had a fly-ball swing path (47.4%), highlighted by his launch angle (19.9). His exit velocity (88.8 mph) doesn’t jump off the page, but his hard-hit rate (37.3) had some growth.
Fantasy Outlook: Naylor has a much higher ceiling in power with complementary speed for the catcher position. The key to him securing more playing time starts with success at the plate and an improved approach. Possible jump to 25 home runs with double-digit stolen bases, painting a profile similar to Dalton Varsho when he qualified at catcher in 2022. Naylor has breakout upside.
RANKINGS
Top 5 Catchers | Catchers 6-10 | Catchers 11-15
Top 5 First Basemen | First Basemen 6-10 | First Basemen 11-15
Top 5 Second Basemen | Second Basemen 6-10 | Second Basemen 11-15
Top 5 Shortstops | Shortstops 6-10 | Shortstops 11-15
Top 5 Third Basemen | Third Basemen 6-10 | Third Basemen 11-15
With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.
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