After signing a
five-year. $92.5 million contract to return to the Seattle Mariners, the first baseman was also named the
2025 James Tip O’Neill Award winner. The honour is presented annually by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame to the Canadian baseball player who has contributed both individually and to the team through high standards.
This is Naylor’s second time winning the award (2023).
Per the Hall of Fame’s official statement, Naylor commented:
“To be honoured with this award is extremely humbling. I am very thankful and honoured. I will continue to work and play hard to be a great example for the younger generations.”
Scott Crawford, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Director of Operations, also added:
“Josh Naylor was outstanding in both the regular season and postseason in 2025. His combination of power and base-stealing ability made him one of the biggest offensive threats in the majors and his energy and passion for the game of baseball is contagious… He also continues to be a wonderful role model through the many charities he supports.”
Split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Mariners, Naylor posted a .295/.353/.462 slash line with 160 hits, 29 doubles, 20 home runs, and 92 RBIs to the tune of a 3.1 bWAR and a .816 OPS. Naylor also stole a career-high 30 bases while posting a +5 DRS at first base post-trade deadline with the Mariners.
Through 12 postseason games with Seattle, Naylor also chipped in with 16 hits (.340), two doubles, three home runs, and five RBIs and was one of the driving forces in their ALCS showdown with the Blue Jays.
A product of the Junior National Team, Naylor has donned the Maple Leaf five times throughout his career, including three WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup events. He is also a two-time Junior National Team MVP Award winner.
Also in the running for the Tip O’Neill Award this year were Cade Smith (Guardians), Nick Pivetta (Padres), and 2024 winner Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays). Details of the award presentation will be announced in the coming months.
PRESENTED BY 6IX INNING STRETCH PODCAST
Love baseball? Don’t miss The 6ix Inning Stretch — the brand new podcast from The Nation Network, presented by Betway. Hosted by Toronto sports reporter Lindsay Dunn and 3-time MLB All-Star Whit Merrifield, this weekly show delivers insider stories, unfiltered Jays talk, player interviews, and expert analysis from around the majors. New episodes drop every Wednesday — listen on your favourite podcast platform or watch on the
Bluejaysnation YouTube channel.
