Former Guardians Catcher ‘Didn’t Know’ About Prop Bets On Individual Pitches In 2025
Former Guardians Catcher Bo Naylor, who caught for pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz in Cleveland, testified Thursday in New York City during their sports betting trial.
Naylor said that he was unaware that bets could be made on individual pitches during a game. When questioned by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Simmons, Naylor claimed ignorance on the matter in 2025.
“I didn’t know that before,” he said. “I didn’t know that until the situation.”
“You didn’t know people bet tens of thousands of dollars on pitches?” Simmons followed up.
When the defense team’s objection was sustained, Naylor did not have to respond. Defense lawyers also showed Naylor several clips of pitches by Ortiz and Clase during the 2025 season.
Naylor said catchers and pitchers strategize how to attack batters based on their weaknesses, adding that even the best pitchers can’t be sure that “each pitch will go where it is aimed.”
Naylor also noted that pitchers “ultimately have the final say as to what pitch gets thrown because pitchers can wave off the catcher’s call in favor of a different pitch.”
Clase and Ortiz were both indicted on spot-fixing charges after allegedly throwing intentional balls outside the strike zone to help bettors win prop bets. Both pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors said the players accepted several thousand dollars after helping bettors to win at least $460,000.
Prop Bets Come Under Heavy Scrutiny
Wagering on a ball or strike is considered to be a prop bet. These bets aren’t tied directly to the outcome of a game. Player props are available in all major professional sports.
Examples include a player’s number of rushing yards in football or the number of rebounds a player will finish with in basketball. You’re betting over or under a certain number.
The bets are more easily manipulable. Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis, who also owns the A’s, spoke out against them yesterday in a CNBC interview.
“I’m not a fan per se of gambling on sports, especially the one-on-ones, the proposition types of betting,” Davis said.
He added, “I think the key thing is the integrity of the game.”
Prop bets were also at the heart of the NBA’s betting scandals. Former Raptors star Jontay Porter received a lifetime ban from the NBA in April 2024 after underperforming on his player props. He’s still awaiting a sentencing date after being found guilty.
More recently, former Pistons guard Malik Beasley agreed to plead guilty to spot-fixing on Dec. 9. Beasley was charged on four federal counts:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud
- Honest services wire fraud conspiracy
- Bribery in sporting contests
- Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Beasley’s involvement stemmed from needing to pay back millions of dollars in gambling debts.
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