As the lights dimmed and the crowd left the stands, there was one thing that Josh Naylor — the Seattle Mariners’ No. 12 hitter — said he was waking up to: being a father for the first time. In a rare revelation, Naylor shared his journey from pregnancy to the arrival of his first child and how he’s learning to balance baseball with his new responsibilities as a father.

In the fall of 2025, the surprise came just before the postseason: Naylor’s wife, singer-songwriter Chantel Collado, was about to give birth to their first child. That’s why Naylor didn’t initially fly with the team to Detroit for the playoffs. Instead, he stayed behind, waiting for the moment to have his child, before rejoining the team.

In a moment that was both private and public—when he returned for Game 3 of the ALDS—Naylor chose not to say much. He simply said, “I want to keep my family life private.”

But in that moment, the MLB world knew that “Baby Watch” had never been more important to a player at the top of his game.

After officially signing a five-year contract with the Mariners—a decision that was considered “too easy” for both the organization and the individual—Naylor didn’t hesitate to talk about his true motivation: family. In a press conference with his wife, parents, and family members in attendance, he shared, “Without them, I’m nothing.”

He revealed that his son—nicknamed “Nix”—would be the center of his life. Naylor said he wanted to raise him, teach him about baseball, but more importantly, teach him about life. “…my mind is now split into two: on the field, for the Mariners. Off the field, for my kids and my wife.”

Balancing the rigors of baseball and fatherhood isn’t easy — especially when Naylor is playing at the highest level, with its pressures and demanding schedules. But he seems ready for the dual role: “If you want to be successful — not just on the field but in the living room — you have to prioritize.”

That’s why he agreed to a long-term contract with the Mariners at the start of the season — because he wanted both the team and his family to have “a stable place to live.”

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Not only that, but Naylor also wants to use his image to inspire: a player who can be a “baseball head” when called upon, but also a “family dad” — a devoted father — in every memorable moment.

In the eyes of his teammates, executives, and fans of the Seahawks — Mariners — Naylor is more than just a power hitter, an icon on offense and defense… he is making himself into a role model: a man who puts family before everything else. When asked about his long-term plans, his answer is short but heartfelt: “I want to raise my kids in Seattle. Show them baseball. And… show them that family — first — is home.”

For Naylor, his first child is more than just a new addition to the family — it might be the most important motivator toward what the Mariners and he crave: a championship title.