The Pirates and free-agent catcher Austin Hedges have reached a one-year, $5 million deal, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The club has not confirmed the deal.
Hedges, 30, is a defense-first catcher, but that defense has been excellent since he made his MLB debut in 2015. In that span, his 75 defensive runs saved led all MLB backstops.
Offensively, Hedges owns a career slash line of .189/.247/.331, but his ability behind the plate has made up for his lack of production at the plate. He began his Major League career with the Padres, for whom he played the first five-plus seasons of his career. In August 2020, he was dealt to Cleveland in the deal that sent Mike Clevinger to San Diego.
Last season, Hedges handled a Guardians pitching staff that posted a 3.46 ERA, which ranked sixth in baseball. The Pirates were in need of a starting catcher, with Minor League backstop Endy Rodriguez — the organization’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline — the only catcher on the current roster.