Cleveland Guardians fans react to top catching prospect Bo Naylor being sent back to minors: "I honestly hate this" "He wasn’t ready"
The Cleveland Guardians sent top catching prospect Bo Naylor to the minors on Friday, optioning the 23-year-old to Class AAA Columbus. Naylor, who is competing for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, is the No. 4-ranked prospect in the Guardians' farm system.
Naylor, drafted in the first round of the 2018 MLB June Entry Draft, was one of five catchers battling for the backup spot behind journeyman Mike Zunino on this year's Guardians roster.
The Guardians have informed Bo Naylor that he's been optioned to Triple-A Columbus.
The move was unexpected, as he only has 66 games of experience at the AAA level. He whet Guardians fans' appetites with a brief appearance in the majors last season, going hitless in eight at-bats over five games at the end of last season.
Seen optimistically as Cleveland's catcher of the future, the Guardians never put forth any intentions publicly that Naylor would be part of the major-league squad this season.
The move to the minors guarantees that the youngster will continue to receive regular playing time and continue to work with a number of the Guardians' best pitching prospects.
The news that Naylor had been sent down took a few Cleveland fans by surprise:
This is good. Keep him behind the plate calling games for the big 3 pitching prospects! twitter.com/mandybell02/st…
Sad news for Bo, but he will be back in 2023 that's for sure. twitter.com/MandyBell02/st…
There are going to be so many people shocked and upset by this but it was the 99% most likely outcome all winter. twitter.com/MandyBell02/st…
He went just 1-for-6 in his very brief stay with the Cleveland Guardians at Spring Training before departing to compete for Canada at the WBC. The Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper reported that Guardians manager Terry Francona spoke with Naylor before the departure to likely inform him that he would be reporting to the minor-league camp upon his return from Canadian playing duty.
May fans agreed with the decision, but look forward to the day when the player seizes the starting catching role in Cleveland.
good choice. he’s gonna be special but he’s not ready yet, and that’s fine twitter.com/mandybell02/st…
Kid isn’t ready for the bright lights twitter.com/mandybell02/st…
He wasn’t ready 😔😔 twitter.com/mandybell02/st…
Several fans really did hope that Naylor would remain with the Guardians this season, even in a backup role behind Zunino. With Cleveland expected to contend for at least a divisional title in 2023, they argue that the experience of being around a top major-league club would be invaluable while also maintaining that the pick of other backup options is not that appealing.
I honestly hate this. Zunino, when healthy, is a huge upgrade on the 2022 catching options at the plate. But, when you play Gallagher (who I assume will be the backup), you’re back to punting on those ABs instead of getting your future catcher major league ABs and easing him in. twitter.com/mandybell02/st…
Now what? twitter.com/mandybell02/st…
Cam Gallagher szn twitter.com/MandyBell02/st…
Well, at least one hamster in Cleveland was really pulling for Naylor.
My hamster is sad twitter.com/MandyBell02/st…
Mike Zunino is the Cleveland Guardians catcher for now
Mike Zunino, himself once a top catching prospect while with the Seattle Mariners, signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Cleveland Guardians this past offseason. While the team likely hopes the 31-year-old is little more than a bridge to Naylor's eventual future takeover of the position, Zunino is a capable MLB catcher.
In a 10-year career with the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, he is hitting .200 with 146 home runs and 361 RBI. Not sparkling offensive numbers, but he handles the pitching staff well and is known as a good defender.