Guardians’ Bo Naylor listed at +3000 in A.L. Rookie of the Year odds; what to expect from rookie catcher

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If Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor were to win the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year Award, he’d be making MLB history.

No, he wouldn’t be the first Cleveland player to earn the honor, although he’d be the first one in a while. And he wouldn’t even be the first Cleveland catcher to claim the award. As a matter of fact, these two players were the same guy.

Catcher Sandy Alomar was the 1990 AL Rookie of the Year. He was also the most recent Cleveland player to earn this recognition.

Naylor’s chance at history is solely based upon his heritage. The backstop from Mississauga, Ontario could be the first Canadian to win the AL Rookie of the Year Award. A Canadian - Jason Bay of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2004 - has been named NL Rookie of the Year. But it’s never happened in the junior circuit.

Oddsmakers aren’t giving it much chance of happening this year, either. Naylor is the co-13th betting choice to win the AL Rookie of the Year Award at odds of +3000.

Getting his first sampling of the big leagues last season, Naylor’s opportunity was brief and probably left him with a bitter aftertaste. He got to the plate for eight at-bats. Naylor, 23, never reached base safely and struck out five times.

Naylor’s 2022 minor league numbers were showing a bat with much more pop in it, however. Starting at AA Akron, he slashed .271/.427/.471 with five homers and 21 RBI through 52 games. Called up to AAA Columbus, Naylor found the seats with much more frequency. Though some of his overall numbers weren’t as strong - .257/.366/.514 - Naylor clouted 15 home runs in 245 at-bats. He drove in 47 runs. Between the two stops, the 6-foot, 205-pound Naylor also swiped 20 bases, virtually unheard-of thievery on the base paths from a receiver.

Before he’ll be squatting behind the plate for the Guardians this season, Naylor will be standing on guard for thee. Naylor is going to be representing Canada in the World Baseball Classic. He’s played for his country at the junior level and has always sought the chance to play with the full national team.

In 2017, Naylor traveled to Miami to watch that year’s World Baseball Classic. His older brother Josh Naylor was pitching for Canada in the tournament.

Naylor won’t be the only Guardians player suiting up in the Canadian clubhouse. Pitcher Cal Quantrill will also be donning his country’s colors at the World Baseball Classic.

One reason to definitely be hedging your AL Rookie of the Year bets on Naylor is the fact that he isn’t even penciled in as Cleveland’s every day catcher. In reality, he may not even be in Cleveland to start the season.

While the Guardians remain confident that Naylor is their catcher of the future, they don’t seem to be as certain that the future is now. In the offseason, the club was signing experienced catcher Mike Zunino to a one-year, $6-millon contract.

The 31-year-old backstop is a veteran of 850 AL games with Seattle and Tampa Bay. He’s caught in the World Series and in 23 career MLB postseason games.

Zunino is bouncing back after missing much of last season following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. All signs so far in spring training are that Zunino has returned to health. If that remains the case, indications from Cleveland manager Terry Francona are that Bryan Lavastida will serve as Zunino’s backup. Naylor would start the season as every day catcher with AAA Columbus.

Even if Naylor were to begin the year on the opening-day roster for the Guardians, the chances of him fashioning a campaign worthy of AL Rookie of the Year are slim at best. In the history of the rookie award over both leagues that compose MLB, just nine times has a catcher been the recipient of the honor.

It’s only happened on three occasions in AL history. Besides Alomar, Carlton Fisk of the Boston Red Sox (1972) and Thurman Munson of the New York Yankees (1970) were recognized with the award. In other words, only those among the absolute best receivers in baseball get the chance.

A bet on Naylor to be AL Rookie of the Year would be a wager made with the heart and not the head. As a general rule, those types of bets don’t come in as winners.

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