Guardians re-sign catcher Hedges to $4 million deal

CLEVELAND – Austin Hedges’ contributions went far beyond just being a lightweight backup catcher for the Guardians last season. He was a mentor, advisor, wise teammate and clubhouse leader.

He’ll be one again for Cleveland.

The popular catcher agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract on Wednesday to return to the AL Central champions, who viewed Hedges’ leadership as a major factor in the team’s unexpected success in 2024.

The Guardians took over the top spot in April and stayed there, going 92-69 and winning the AL Central under rookie manager Stephen Vogt. Cleveland defeated Detroit in a tight Division Series before losing to the New York Yankees in five games in the American League Championship Series.

Hedges was a clubhouse channel for Vogt, who immediately had to deal with several injuries to his pitching staff early this year. The 32-year-old Hedges guided young catcher Bo Naylor through his first full Major League season and also appeared in eight of Cleveland’s 10 postseason games.

Hedges said he has become the kind of unselfish player that every team necessarily wants.

“Well, it all started with not hitting very well,” joked the .186 hitter during ten major league seasons.

Hedges valued being a teammate that young players could lean on, making himself an indispensable asset.

“I had to look myself in the mirror and say, how do I stay in the game?” he said. “Because I don’t want to go back to the minor leagues. I don’t want to get another job. I love the big leagues. I like playing in the big leagues. It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted in my life.”

Hedges had expressed interest in coming back during his exit interviews, and the team’s feeling was mutual.

“He’s not just the mascot. This is a really good player,” Vogt said after the season. “He means so much more to us than what any outside source can see. He helps us become better. He helps me get better. He challenges the technical staff. He challenges his teammates and he brings the energy every day.

“And he’s a very, very good Major League baseball player. You won’t stay in the league as long as he’s here by accident.”

Hedges played for Cleveland from 2020 to 2022 and re-signed with the Guardians for $4 million last season after spending 2023 with Pittsburgh and Texas, where he won a World Series title.

He believes the Guardians are heading there too.

“We now have a roadmap for what we need to do,” Hedges said. “We had an idea of what the roadmap looked like beyond 2022, but now we know exactly what it takes to get to the World Series and what it takes to then win that thing.

“So for us we don’t have to change much.”

The Guardians went 26-20 in Hedges’ 46 starts. Although he struggled as a hitter, Hedges started in the playoffs because of his experience and also replaced Naylor late in a number of crowded postseason games.

Hedges spent more than five seasons with San Diego before coming to Cleveland in a trade midway through the 2020 season.