The Cleveland Indians have selected C Noah Naylor out of St Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School in Ontario, Canada. Naylor has one of the best hit tools in the draft, but doesn’t have a set position, although it appears the Indians are going to attempt to give him a shot at catching.
MLB Pipeline had him listed as the 27th ranked prospect in the 2018 MLB Draft, so it doesn’t look the the Indians were reaching. He’s the younger brother of San Diego Padres prospect Josh Naylor. He currently has a commitment to Texas A&M.
While he has a strong arm, defense is not Naylor’s strength, but his bat definitely is. Naylor’s top-graded tool is his power at 55. He also has a 50 hit tool. Hailing from Canada, there could also be some serious room for growth with his overall game compared to players who play year-round in the south. Naylor could be a work in progress, but his left-handed power with potential for decent batting average is a huge plus.
If he can’t stick at catcher, Naylor has the athleticism to play third base and the build to at least play first.