Former Catcher Bo Naylor Claims Ignorance of Pitch-Level Betting Scheme in Trial
Former Guardians catcher Bo Naylor testifies he was unaware gamblers were betting on individual pitches during the high-profile criminal trial of Clase and O...
POLICY WIRE — New York, U.S. — Bo Naylor, who previously caught for Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, testified on Thursday during a sports betting trial that he had no knowledge of wagers on individual pitches until legal proceedings began.
Naylor, who was called as a defense witness outside the schedule due to an upcoming wedding, provided this testimony under cross-examination by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Simmons. The prosecutor questioned whether the catcher was aware of these wagers while reviewing 2025 baseball game footage presented to the Brooklyn jury.
Naylor stated he was not aware of the practice prior to the current situation, saying, “I did not know that before,” and “I did not know that until the situation.” When Simmons asked if he knew that tens of thousands of dollars were being placed on specific pitches, Naylor was prevented from responding due to a sustained objection from the defense team.
The testimony highlights the rapid expansion of the sports betting industry. Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2018, legal sports wagering has established itself across 39 states.
Wagering on whether a pitch results in a ball or a strike is categorized as prop betting. These types of bets typically target individual player statistics, such as strikeouts in baseball, points or rebounds in basketball, or yardage in football.
Naylor, who was moved from Cleveland to the Milwaukee Brewers in August shortly before his former club secured a World Series championship, was shown numerous clips of 2025 pitches by Clase and Ortiz during initial questioning by the pitchers’ defense.
During defense questioning, Naylor confirmed that catchers instruct pitchers on the type and target of each pitch. He explained that catchers and pitchers coordinate strategies during pregame meetings to secure outs based on analysis of batter hitting tendencies.
Naylor also noted that even the most elite pitchers cannot guarantee every pitch will land exactly. He described Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time American League Reliever of the Year, as having “pretty good command” of his arsenal.
Clase (28) and Ortiz (27) pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges filed a year ago. Prosecutors allege that Clase, who is in the fourth year of a $20 million contract, began sharing pitch information with bettors in 2023 and brought Ortiz into the operation in 2025. They claim Clase received approximately $460,000, while Ortiz earned $782,600 from the Guardians during that season.
Both players are currently on bail and on unpaid leave while facing prosecution. Naylor, who learned Spanish to communicate with his teammates, told Simmons he was not close friends with Clase or Ortiz. Simmons also asked about frequently observing Clase using his cell phone in the locker room.
The prosecution contends that Clase violated Major League Baseball rules by contacting gamblers during games. Naylor maintained that pitchers hold the final authority on any pitch, as they can override a catcher’s call.
Defense attorney Michael Ferrara asked Naylor if he had heard of Clase being involved in cockfighting in his native Dominican Republic. Naylor stated his knowledge was based on rumors within the clubhouse. The defense argued that Clase had friends interested in cockfighting—which is legal in the Dominican Republic—rather than sports gambling.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
