Growing up in Mississauga, Ontario, Bo Naylor credits his mother for his love for all life and his natural tendency to care for others.

The middle child of three professional baseball players, Bo grew up playing baseball all year. But even with aspirations of playing baseball at the highest level, Bo never imagined having the platform he currently has to impact and inspire others through his work on and off the field.

Bo’s young career can be summarized by his willingness to plow through experiences of discomfort, ultimately bettering himself and others around him. Possibly the first instance of this was his decision to teach himself Spanish during a season interrupted by COVID-19. While he could have accepted complacency, he chose the more uncomfortable and busier route, learning a language that bettered himself and allowed his teammates to grow on the mound alongside him.

Upon being called up to the big leagues, Bo began learning chess, which many of his teammates play before games. As a rookie on the field and in chess, he joined Guardians Chess Club, playing against many of the top high school chess players in the country. The chess teams quickly defeated the majority of Guardians players, including Bo, humbling a clubhouse previously buzzing with confidence.

Fast forward to 2025, when the school chess club president shared a home run celebration with Bo in anticipation of his next home run. As he rounded the bases that night, he tapped his wrist just as the club president had suggested, and the chess club had a new -- and likely first -- favorite baseball player.

Similar to chess club, Bo served as the face of Guardians youth camps this season, growing the game of baseball and softball across Northeast Ohio. As a catcher who grew up admiring Buster Posey, Bo understands the importance of developing the next generation on and off the field. He also understands the lens through which youth watch today’s big league players. It’s more than just a baseball game.

Bo’s passion for others extends to his environment and animals, spending much of his time giving back at the Cleveland Animal Protective League and visiting the Cleveland Zoological Society. At the Cleveland Animal Protective League, Bo supports animal enrichment by making snacks, toys and blankets for the animals. He also spends time distributing enrichment items and playing with the animals. Bo is also focused on supporting the Cleveland Zoological Society’s conservation efforts and spends time with animals able to accept visitors. Bo has been a big advocate for the Club’s annual beach cleanup, which was scheduled for August.

Asked about his impact on others, Bo said he has opened his heart to others and has unexpectedly received even more in return. He has grown to be comfortable with the uncomfortable; being the worst chess player at the table ultimately led to the development of new and potentially lifelong baseball fans. Bo Naylor’s willingness to persist despite the discomfort has allowed him to grow both on and off the field.