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Bo Naylor's potential, Austin Hedges' mentorship and the Guardians' catcher-heavy staff
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- Bo Naylor's potential, Austin Hedges' mentorship and the Guardians' catcher-heavy staff
As the Guardians try to sculpt their catcher of the future from the promising mold of Bo Naylor , they have surrounded him with a wealth of knowledge and expertise rivaled by no other team in the majors.
Naylor, who just turned 24 years old, arguably couldn't be in better hands when it comes to his defensive development behind the plate as he enters what will be his first full season in the major leagues. He represents not only a massively important piece to the Guardians 2024 lineup if they hope to contend for a playoff spot, but also one of the focal points of their longterm puzzle at a key position.
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Nearly every direction Naylor turns at the team's spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. , he'll undoubtedly run into an experienced former catcher on whom he can lean.
"It's just a great vibe," Naylor said. "I'm always looking for new info. Any ideas these guys have, we're always bouncing ideas off each other. … There's no shortage of questions that can be asked."
From former manager Terry Francona's staff, the Guardians retained catching coach Sandy Alomar Jr. , who by many accounts is one of the most respected in his role in the league. Then as the new bench coach they brought in Craig Albernaz , who not only sports one of the thickest Boston accents you've ever heard but also a wealth of experience as a former catcher himself.
In fact, because of Alomar's reputation, Albernaz didn't even think he'd have much involvement with the catchers when his interview process started. But, the more voices, the better.
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In Goodyear, as the pitchers and catchers went through their own sessions, both Albernaz and Alomar had their voices heard, giving instruction to the catchers during drills.
"It wasn't even on my radar to work with the catchers, because Sandy is elite," Albernaz said. "The way he's developed catchers like Yan Gomes , Kelly Shoppach, Roberto Perez , who I had in San Francisco , the list goes on. So for him to be so inviting for me to be there with him and even kind of give input as well, and bounce ideas off of him, it's been outstanding."
Guardians 2024 coaching staff full of former catchers, including Stephen Vogt , Craig Albernaz, Sandy Alomar Jr.
Oakland Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt walks on the field during a game July 6, 2022, against the Toronto Blue Jays in Oakland, Calif. Now the Guardians manager, Vogt is one of several former catchers on the Guardians staff tasked with developing Bo Naylor during his first full season in the major leagues.
Then there's the new manager, Stephen Vogt , who was catching in the majors as recently as 2022 , and has a recent perspective as both a coach and a player. At every level of the coaching staff, Naylor has someone to whom he can turn. Vogt might not work with Naylor quite as directly as the others, but it's the lens through which he views the game.
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"I know I don't have to be hands-on with the catchers, I know it's well taken care of, so that's a really nice thing for me to not have to worry about. But, at the same time, that's where my eyes go when I'm watching the game," Vogt said. "So I'm really looking forward to getting to know Bo and watching him play and work every day."
Guardians re-sign Austin Hedges for 2024, adding veteran to mentor Bo Naylor this spring
Except the possible mentorship tutelage doesn't stop there. The Guardians also re-signed veteran Austin Hedges , one of the best defensive catchers in the game over the last several seasons, to a one-year, $4 million deal.
In fact, defensively, Hedges has been the game's best from an analytical standpoint, and it isn't that close. Since the beginning of the 2018 season, Hedges leads all catchers with 61 Defensive Runs Saved (nobody else has more than 33) and a 91.8 Defensive Rating (the only catcher above 84).
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During some drills at the team's spring training complex, Hedges' standing as the resident veteran is clear. Each catcher cycled through different drills one by one, watching the other. But when Hedges was up, the increased focus is evident on how he moves, what he's doing and why. And when he's standing by watching the younger catchers, his voice can always be heard offering further guidance.
"Yeah, I mean, [I view it as] less responsibility and more so just passion. I love catching," Hedges said of his role as the club's veteran catcher. "I've put a lot of thoughts into the nuances of the position and I try to do my best to put myself in other guys' shoes. A lot of the young guys here, I was in their shoes at one point and I would have killed to have a little bit of help from some guys that have been back there in some big-league moments."
Bo Naylor enters first full season as Guardians starting catcher in 2024
Detroit Tigers' Andy Ibanez (77) scores as Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor (23) loses the ball attempting to make the tag on Sept. 30, 2023, in Detroit.
Last season, Naylor played in only 67 games, but he made good use of the opportunities he had. He hit .273 with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs in only 230 plate appearances. He accrued 2.5 fWAR in less than half a season (anything over 4.0 fWAR gets into All-Star range). In fact, even in only playing 67 games, Naylor was still a top-10 catcher by fWAR , and all of the others ahead of him had at least 100 more plate appearances.
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Naylor has a 20-homer, 20-steals season in the minor leagues under his belt. His offensive profile is rare for a catcher, and he has finally given the Guardians some hope for a little production at that position. In addition to the offense, the Guardians are also hoping to round him into the best defensive catcher he can be, something on which the organization has put a premium in the past.
"The ceiling that he has, we don't even know what it is, it could be so high," Hedges said of Naylor. "I take a lot of pride in what I do, but at the same time I know there's a lot of things that I can help speed up some for the learning curve processes for him. It's different than trying to be 'The Guy' [for the first time]. So if I can help in any way to just give him the confidence to allow himself to be that, then I'm doing my job."
And, soon, it'll be Naylor's job to be the starter, as the Guardians hand over the keys at catcher to him full time in 2024.
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Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis1@gannett.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Threads at @ByRyanLewis .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians Bo Naylor enters 2024 Opening Day as starter
