The Milwaukee Brewers, holders of the best record in Major League Baseball, made a roster move involving catcher Bo Naylor on Monday ahead of their upcoming series against the New York Mets.
Naylor, 26, was optioned to Triple-A Nashville after serving as the club’s 27th man for the Little League Classic. He spent just one day back on the major league roster.
The Brewers fell 4-2 to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, during the annual event that brings big league teams to the Little League World Series site. Despite the loss, Milwaukee sits at 81-50, one game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the overall standings.
The team now travels to New York for a three-game set against the Mets, who have won 12 of their last 18 contests and shown recent momentum.
Naylor’s brief return to the majors stemmed directly from the special roster allowance Major League Baseball provides for events such as the Little League Classic and doubleheaders. Once that game concluded, the extra spot expired, prompting the option.
There was no injury or other roster crunch that forced the decision, according to reporting from Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. The assignment simply followed the rules for the temporary 27th man.
Milwaukee acquired Naylor from the Cleveland Guardians on Aug. 1 in a four-player deal. The Brewers also received right-hander Codi Heuer while sending outfielder Blake Perkins and reliever Craig Yoho to Cleveland.
Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold described the trade as a depth move rather than a high-profile acquisition.
“It adds another layer of depth for us, which I think is really important — especially at this time of year,” Arnold said.
That depth became useful with top catching prospect Jefferson Quero sidelined by a right biceps injury. Naylor offers a veteran presence behind the plate without challenging everyday catcher William Contreras for playing time.
Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti expressed confidence in Naylor’s future upon the trade.
“I continue to believe that he is going to be a good Major League player, and we saw that at different points in time,” Antonetti said of Naylor.
Naylor entered professional baseball as Cleveland’s first-round selection in the 2018 draft, taken 29th overall out of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario. He signed for approximately $2.58 million and once ranked among the game’s more highly regarded catching prospects.
He made his major league debut in October 2022 and has accumulated more than 1,000 career at-bats. With the Guardians he hit .199 with 40 home runs. In 2026 before the trade, he batted .143 with two home runs in 84 at-bats.
Baseball America once ranked him as high as the Guardians’ No. 3 prospect, while MLB Pipeline listed him as high as No. 4 in the system. Those rankings reflected the expectations that accompanied his early career.
Naylor is the younger brother of Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor, who played alongside him in Cleveland from 2022 through 2024. The catcher still has minor league options remaining and has not reached arbitration eligibility, giving Milwaukee control of his rights through 2028.
For now, Naylor will continue developing with the Nashville Sounds while the Brewers focus on their series in New York and the push toward the postseason. The move keeps the major league roster at its standard size after the special-event game and maintains flexibility at a premium position.
