CLEVELAND, Ohio — Austin Hedges is staying with the Guardians for the 2026 season. MLB insider John Heyman reported Tuesday that the veteran backup catcher has reached an agreement with Cleveland to return for a sixth season.
The Guardians have not yet confirmed the deal.
Heyman reported that Hedges’ contract is worth $4 million with $500,000 in incentives, similar to the one-year, $4 million deal he signed for 2025.
Major League Baseball free agency begins the day after the conclusion of the World Series with a five-day exclusive negotiating window for teams to re-sign their own players.
Hedges, 33, hit .161 with five home runs, 10 RBI and a .547 OPS in 155 regular season at-bats for the Guardians in 2025 while serving as the team’s mouthpiece and spiritual leader.
A gifted defender behind the plate, what Hedges lacked in offensive productivity he more than made up for in clubhouse presence and leadership on a young Guardians roster.
Following Cleveland’s season-ending loss to the Tigers in the AL wild card series, Hedges talked about how many of his teammates had earned another year of playoff experience and that they would know how to approach the 2026 season in pursuit of their goal to win the World Series.
“It’s going to be another young group, but an experienced young group that’s overcome a lot of adversity and that type of group is going to be a big problem for the rest of the league,” Hedges said.
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