D-backs acquire two pitching prospects in Naylor trade with Mariners

The D-backs traded first baseman Josh Naylor to the Mariners in exchange for left-handed pitcher Brandyn Garcia (Arizona's updated No. 16 prospect per MLB Pipeline) and right-hander Ashton Izzi (No. 11), the teams announced Thursday.

With Arizona foundering after a litany of injuries this season -- including Tommy John surgery for Corbin Burnes, their big offseason signing and 2021 Cy Young Award winner -- it became apparent in recent days that the D-backs (50-53) would be sellers prior to the upcoming July 31 Trade Deadline. Arizona sits 10 games out of first place in the National League West and 5 1/2 games out of the third Wild Card spot with 59 games remaining.

TRADE DETAILS
Mariners receive: 1B Josh Naylor
D-backs receive: LHP Brandyn Garcia, RHP Ashton Izzi

Naylor, whom the D-backs acquired in a trade with the Guardians last December, was productive for Arizona this season, posting a .292/.360/.447 slash line with 11 home runs and 59 RBIs in 93 games. With his departure, the club will likely turn to Pavin Smith as the everyday starter at first base, though he’s currently on the IL with a right oblique strain.

With the move, the D-backs add two top pitching prospects to their farm system in Garcia and Izzi. Garcia, 25, was selected by the Mariners in the 11th round of the 2023 Draft out of Texas A&M. With a heavy 95-96 mph two-seam fastball and a solid cutter, the 6-foot-4 southpaw rapidly ascended through Seattle’s farm system and made his Major League debut last Monday.

Garcia began the season with Double-A Arkansas, posting a 3.96 ERA in 24 relief appearances before a promotion to Triple-A Tacoma. In eight appearances for Tacoma, he pitched to a 2.16 ERA. Garcia will join the D-backs as a reliever.

“It's a big arm that's going to fit into our 'pen now and in the future,” Arizona GM Mike Hazen said. “Obviously, everybody knows sort of what we've gone through in the bullpen this year, and part of what my anticipation, or goal, for this Deadline, if possible, is to add arms to the best we can.”

Izzi, 21, is a 6-foot-3 right-hander whom Seattle selected in the fourth round of the 2022 Draft out of East Oswego High School in Illinois. He possesses a four-seam fastball that sits around 94 mph but can touch as high as 97 mph, and he also has a two-seamer that is effective when he sinks it after going up in the zone with the four-seamer.

Behind that, Izzi throws a low-80s sweeper that might become a solid secondary offering, as well as a changeup that he didn’t have a feel for with Class-A Modesto last year.

“Long-term starter potential,” Hazen said of Izzi. “We see all the ingredients -- the ability to mix pitches. He's young, he's obviously already at High-A, obviously he's a little bit further away, but looking to capture as much value as we could. Unfortunately, trading Josh was not something that we really intended to do. We started out this season [with a different goal], but where we stand today, we felt like it was the right thing to do.”

The D-backs will assign Izzi to High-A Hillsboro. In 12 starts for High-A Everett in the Mariners’ system this year, Izzi posted a 5.51 ERA over 47 1/3 innings.

The D-backs may not be done yet with a week to go before the Trade Deadline. There have been rumors that slugging third baseman Eugenio Suárez is on the market and, given his prodigious numbers so far this season, is drawing significant interest.