Why this Guardians fan favorite holds a lot of value in free agency

When you think of Austin Hedges, chances are you don’t think of a free agent superstar. And why would you? While he provides a ton of value behind the plate and in the clubhouse, he’s one of the worst hitters in all of baseball and is by no means an everyday player. 

But, even with that, he could still end up being an important piece in free agency given this year’s free agent catcher class. 

Austin Hedges could still end up getting a solid contract in free agency

As a part of its offseason preview, the team at MLB Trade Rumors has begun previewing the free agent classes at every position. They just put out their list for catchers and it's a bit… underwhelming. 

While it’s headlined by J.T. Realmuto (an aging three-time All-Star), there’s not much behind him, as evidenced by Victor Cartini and Danny Jansen being the No. 2 and 3 options on the market. 

After them, the list is highlighted by backup options like Elias Díaz, Mitch Garver and Hedges. And even if Hedges doesn’t have the kind of offensive track record of any of those players, he’s a first-team All-Vibes guy and has long been viewed as a manager-in-waiting. 

He also provides a value that goes beyond the box score. He was a valuable clubhouse presence for the Guardians in their magical run to the American League Division Series in 2022 before signing in Pittsburgh as a free agent in 2023. He ended up winning a World Series that year with the Rangers. Meanwhile, the Guardians limped to a 76-86 season. 

He’s spent the past two seasons in Cleveland on one-year contracts. They’ve made the postseason both times. He may not be the best backup catcher in baseball in terms of statistics, but he’s an All-Star in everything else. 

"It's a huge compliment," Hedges said to ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian earlier this year when he was asked about being the best backup catcher in baseball. "That's what I want to be. I want to play for another 10 years. I want to be a starter, but if I haven't been able to help the team offensively, I have accepted the role. I love the role. I love the little things that I get to do that don't require playing. It's a lot of stress off my plate. I want to make sure that Bo Naylor is the best catcher in baseball. If I'm doing my job right, helping him every day, I think he should be."

The obvious downside of bringing him in is the lack of production. He’s a career .185 hitter who hasn’t hit above .200 in a full season since 2018. He’s a great defensive catcher who is one of baseball’s best at calling a game behind the plate, but any team that signs him does so with the understanding that they’re not going to get anything out of his spot on the roster (unless he’s facing off against Tarik Skubal). 

The Guardians have signed Hedges to back-to-back one-year, $4 million contracts, but it remains to be seen if they’ll run it back with him for a third straight year. 

Bo Naylor is the Guardians’ clear No. 1 catcher, but the front office may be more interested in giving Cooper Ingle the chance to be the backup catcher as opposed to Hedges. It’s likely they wouldn’t carry three catchers on their roster either considering David Fry’s ability to play catcher. 

Hedges’ eventual signing likely won’t generate a ton of headlines across baseball whenever he signs, it may end up becoming one of the most valuable signings across this year’s free agent cycle.