Greensboro Grasshopper’s Josh Naylor injures teammate Stone Garrett with knife during prank

from Deren Smith at MILB.com and on the South Atlantic League web site at CLICK HERE
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Miami’s No. 4 prospect Stone Garrett was placed on the disabled list after he was injured by Class A Greensboro teammate Josh Naylor in a prank that “went a little too far,” Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill told the Sun-Sentinel on Sunday.

Hill confirmed that Naylor inflicted the injury earlier this week at the apartment he shares with Garrett in Greensboro, North Carolina. According to the newspaper, Garrett — the Marlins’ 2015 Minor League Player of the Year — needed three stitches to close a cut on his right thumb and is traveling to Miami to be examined by a hand specialist.

“Naylor has a reputation of being a bit of a prankster, but this one obviously went a little too far,” Hill told the Sun-Sentinel. “Obviously, he’s torn up about it. This is a good friend, his roommate. They came into pro ball together, so they’re good friends.

“Hopefully, it’ll just be … short term and [Garrett] can get back healthy and return to form and continue on his career.”

Garrett, a 20-year-old outfielder, is batting .244 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 35 games with the Grasshoppers in his first full Minor League season. His average dipped to .195 on May 18, but the 2014 eighth-round pick is hitting .320 (16-for-50) in his last 13 contests and had a two-homer, four-RBI game on May 27.

“He’s a five-tool player,” Hill told the newspaper. “We don’t think the injury is serious, but with any of our players, when there is something like this, you make sure everything is where it needs to be.”

Naylor, the Marlins’ second-ranked prospect, ranks third in the South Atlantic League with 36 RBIs and is tied for ninth with seven homers. He’s slashing .262/.330/.451 in his first full season since Miami selected him 12th overall in the 2015 Draft.

“I don’t think you’ll see Josh Naylor goofing around with knives anymore,” Hill said. “Other pranks were just pranks and nobody got hurt. Unfortunately, this one ended in an injury, which isn’t funny at all.”

Daren Smith is an editor for MiLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.
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