This position logjam could create some trade opportunities for the Cleveland Guardians.
The Cleveland Guardians have already demonstrated a willingness to be aggressive this season.
Some of the organization's top young players and prospects have already made the big-league roster, and the front office even pulled off a trade to acquire catcher Patrick Bailey from the San Francisco Giants.
What’s to say the Cleveland won’t end up making more moves before the trade deadline?
It certainly appears that the Guardians have the assets to do so, and even have some already attracting trade interest from multiple teams across baseball.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that “rival clubs already are calling on Triple-A catchers Bo Naylor, Cooper Ingle and Kody Huff, according to a person briefed on the Guards’ discussions.”
Cleveland’s catching log jam is real.
Looking at the big-league level, Austin Hedges and Patrick Bailey have the backstop locked down, with David Fry more than capable of putting on the gear if called upon. With that in mind, it’s going to be hard for the Guardians to find playing time behind the plate for the trio that Rosenthal mentioned are gaining trade interest: Bo Naylor, Cooper Ingle, and Kody Huff.
Columbus Clippers’s Cooper Ingle runs to the dugout during the home opener against the Indianapolis Indians at Huntington Park on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio.Out of these three, Ingle is definitely the most interesting player, and could probably bring the Guardians back the best asset in a trade. He’s currently ranked as Cleveland’s No. 3 prospect and has lived up to the hype at the plate.
Cooper has appeared at 42 games at Triple-A so far this season, and owns a .295/.444/.547 slash line with six doubles and nine home runs. By all indications, Ingle is ready for the big leagues; the Guardians just need to find a spot for him, which is one of the reasons why the natural catcher has played a little outfield this season.
As for Naylor and Huff, they could solve the void for a team looking for a more defensive-minded backstop. Bo has already proven that he can manage a big-league pitching staff, and Huff, who is 25 years old, has four seasons of minor league experience
Just because these Guardians catchers are already emerging as potential trade candidates doesn’t mean a deal is bound to get done before the deadline.
On the other hand, Rosenthal also noted, “the Guards might not be in a rush to act. The free-agent market for catchers next offseason is so thin, the Guardians’ youngsters might be in even greater demand then.”
As the trade deadline approaches and the Guardians’ needs become clearer, it’ll be interesting to see whether Ingle, Naylor, or Huff are used in a trade.
Guardians Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Guardians. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.
