There was a time when Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor appeared to be a budding star. Back in 2023, Naylor slashed .237/.339/.470 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI over 230 plate appearances. Sure, his contact needed work, but his ability to draw walks and hit for power mitigated his subpar batting average.

Fast forward to 2025, and Naylor has almost been relegated to an automatic out. He is hitting just .180 with a .627 OPS on the year, similar to last season when he slashed .201/.264/.350.

Not only has Naylor not progressed, but he has dangerously regressed since his strong showing in 2023, and it has gotten to the point where the Guardians may need to seriously think about their future at backstop.

I get it: Naylor is a former top prospect, and Cleveland takes pride in its ability to churn out playoff-contending rosters on scarce payrolls. But something has to be done here. The Guardians cannot afford to hand a spot to Naylor based on how highly he was touted in the past.

Is there a chance Naylor turns it around? Sure. He is only 25 years old, after all. But anyone with eyes can admit that the last couple of seasons have not been good for him, and for as elite as he is defensively, his bat has simply become too much of a liability.

What, then, should Cleveland do?

Well, the Guardians do have catching prospect Cooper Ingle — ranked fifth overall in Cleveland's system — in the minor leagues. He has struggle since being promoted to Triple-A this season, but he raked at Double-A, slashing .273/.391/.441 with nine homers and 49 RBI. That walk rate in particular is tantalizing.

Now, to be fair, Ingle does not possess Naylor's defense, and it's also pertinent to note that Naylor posted even better minor-league numbers at the dish than Ingle, evidence that minor-league success does not always translate to the show.

But at the very least, the Guardians could consider promoting Ingle in 2026 to potentially serve as a platoon partner for Naylor, who remains under team control through 2029.

Cleveland could also consider perusing the free-agent market (although we know the Guardians don't spend) or potentially pursue a shrewd, Guardians-style trade this winter.

Basically, Cleveland needs a solution. This isn't to say that Naylor doesn't have a place on the roster. His defense alone grants him that much. But the Guardians definitely need to work toward platooning him with another catcher that provides more offensive utility, whether that means looking inward or spreading their tentacles to external options.