Mariners’ Josh Naylor on jersey collection: ‘I want to represent Seattle to the fullest’

PEORIA, Ariz. — On the day he reported to Mariners spring training last week, Josh Naylor stood in front of his locker and excitedly showed off a handful of the newest additions to his favorite collection.

He pulled out a Sue Bird Storm jersey, a Jordan Morris Sounders jersey and then a Cooper Kupp Seahawks jersey. There was a Reign jersey in the shipping box, too, and he has Sonics and Kraken jerseys hanging in a closet a home, among the dozens (hundreds?) of jerseys from various teams in various sports he has in his wardrobe.

After the popular first baseman secured a five-year, $92.5-million deal in November to remain with the Mariners, Naylor has been eager to show off and show out for his new city.

“I want to represent Seattle to the fullest,” Naylor said Wednesday. “I want to make sure there’s love through and through. I want to be able to visit their games and, God-willing, hope they want to visit our games and watch us win. I want to celebrate them on their wins and have them celebrate us on ours.

“I just love representing other great players.”

As a kid growing up in Ontario, Canada, Naylor liked the Boston Red Sox, and the first jersey Naylor owned was Jason Varitek’s. (Coincidentally, Cal Raleigh’s favorite player growing up was also Varitek, Boston’s switch-hitting catcher and captain.)

“We were big Boston fans when I was a kid, and basically the moral of (the story is) like, ‘Hey, we’re gonna represent this player because he’s a leader; he’s the captain; and he’s not only a great player, he’s a great human,” Naylor said.

Naylor’s dad got that first jersey for him as a present, and the jersey gift-giving has become a father-son tradition over the years.

“I think that’s why me and him collect jerseys now,” he said. “I’ll go to (a) city, pick up a bunch for him, and then he’ll surprise me with a bunch.”

During pregame warmups before games last season, Naylor often wore a custom Kraken hockey jersey. He even wore the Kraken alternate black jersey during the Mariners’ Champagne celebration after their AL Division Series victory over Detroit.

He’s carried on that tradition this spring, wearing a different jersey each day during team infield drills.

“I love athletes of all sorts, and it’s good to celebrate them,” he said.

Naylor also has a hefty collection of custom cleats, lacing up a new design every week or so, it seems.

He turned sheepish when asked about the size of his jersey and cleat collections.

“I won’t give you that number. My mom will get mad at me,” he said.

How does he decide which jersey to wear on a particular day?

“That’s, like, the hardest part of my day,” he said. “… I think picking a jersey is harder than hitting a fastball.”