SCOTTSDALE — Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor would be cool with starting the season now, although he is going to have to wait another four weeks until debuting at Chase Field.
Naylor, an offseason trade acquisition and Arizona’s answer at first base after Christian Walker’s free agency departure, is acclimating with his new teammates while getting up to speed on alignments and concepts.
He spoke highly of the talent level on Arizona’s roster during his introductory press conference, and three weeks later he has better impressions of the work ethic.
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“Not a lot of players on this team when it comes to like being flashy in a way, it’s more to the grind and play hard, practice hard and let the results speak for themselves,” Naylor told Arizona Sports on Friday.
“There’s a lot of fun that goes into it also. A lot of hard work, a lot of intent. The focus is through the roof. Again, it’s not just everyone’s serious and doing the work, everyone’s having fun but also intentional in every little detail of the defense, cage work, (batting practice). There’s intent behind everything, which is super awesome.”
Manager Torey Lovullo said he first could tell Naylor would fit in on Day 2 of camp when he dove for a ground ball during workouts on the backfields.
Naylor came over from the Cleveland Guardians in a deal that sent off pitcher Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance B draft pick. It was a win-now move for an All-Star power hitter in the last year of his contract, someone who could help make up Walker’s production in the lineup and provide a different veteran voice.
Earlier this week, Corbin Carroll told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo, “(Walker) was a great teammate and probably one of the more interesting guys I’ve ever been around in a great way. … Josh is a great player, and getting to know him so far, seems like a really good person, too. I’m excited to see what you can do. He can really hit.”
Naylor has more than five years of MLB service time, and over the past three seasons he has hit 68 home runs with an OPS of .795.
Defense is the area where there could be a noticeable difference between the two players given Walker’s excellence there. No one in the league helped his infielders at first base like Walker since the start of 2022.
This is an element of Naylor’s game he is working at improving, though, and early observations from camp have been solid. There is a standard he will be expected to uphold. On Saturday, he made a nice dig on a sliding play from shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, and Lovullo spoke to the defensive culture.
“When everybody’s doing it, it’s very contagious, but I know the reason why, I see them working on it all the time the backfields,” Lovullo said.
Back to being ready for Opening Day, Naylor said he is trying to test himself each day leading up to a big 2025 for him personally and the ballclub.
“If I’m in the lineup, play hard, put together good at-bats, play solid defense, try to be encouraging on the bench, especially with the young guys,” Naylor said. “If they have questions, answer in detail to help them. One thing you say to them that just clicks for them — and they take off in their career whether it’s here elsewhere — but it’s just every day is a blessing and every day is super cool to come out here and work with each individual and with the coaching staff.
“I feel like I just continue to get ready daily with the work we do, with the preparation, learning new things and trying to test myself out on the field, whether it’s with an approach or with a new defensive alignment, it could be whatever, but try to test yourself in these practice games and go from there.”
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