Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor captured the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Tip O’Neill Award on Thursday.
It’s the first time Naylor has won the award, which is presented annually to the Canadian player “judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball’s highest ideals.”
Naylor, from Mississauga, Ont., led all Canadian big-leaguers in several offensive categories this past season, including batting average (.308), slugging percentage (.489), OPS (.843), doubles (31), RBIs (97) and stolen bases (10).
“Josh Naylor had his best major league season in 2023 and his energy and enthusiasm for the game of baseball make him so much fun to watch,” Jeremy Diamond, chair of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s board of directors, said in a statement. “He has also become a wonderful role model through his work with the Ronald McDonald House and other charities. We’re proud to recognize him with this award.”
Other contenders for the award were past winners Jordan Romano and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., both of the Toronto Blue Jays, plus Minnesota Twins infielder Edouard Julien and Seattle Mariners pitcher Matt Brash.
“Being on the same list as all those previous winners is an honour and what makes receiving this award even more special,” Naylor said in a statement. “The fact I was even nominated was an honour, knowing who this award represents.”
The Tip O’Neill Award is named after Woodstock, Ont., native James “Tip” O’Neill, an baseball star with the St. Louis Browns in the late 1800s. The award committee features a panel of Canadian baseball experts and a fan vote helps determine the winner.
