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'He's not just the mascot': Cleveland Guardians re-sign Austin Hedges for 2025
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- 'He's not just the mascot': Cleveland Guardians re-sign Austin Hedges for 2025
The veteran catcher largely credited with helping the Guardians curate a winning clubhouse culture in 2024 will be back for the 2025 season.
The Guardians are re-signing Austin Hedges to a one-year deal for the 2025 season, the club confirmed Wednesday.
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Hedges, 32, garnered praise from teammates and the rest of the organization early on for his leadership presence in the clubhouse. It's something he discussed with the Beacon Journal , as he reached a point in his career where he took a deep, introspective look into how he could best help a major league team.
Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges (27) celebrates after the Guardians beat the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the ALDS on Oct. 12 in Cleveland.
Hedges leaves a lot to be desired as a hitter — he finished 2024 with a .152 average — but he remains a Gold Glove-level catcher defensively.
"He's not just the mascot, this is a really good player," said manager Stephen Vogt , who was awarded the team's fake championship belt by Hedges after the Guardians clinched a spot in the 2024 playoffs . "I mean, he's so much more to us than what any outside source can see. He helps us get better. He helps me get better. … You don't stay in the league as long as he's been by accident."
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Hedges returning became a stronger possibility once David Fry underwent surgery on his right elbow . That procedure means Fry will likely miss the beginning of the 2025 season, and he does return he might not be able to play the field at all until 2026, relegating him to designated hitter duties instead of being an option at catcher.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians sign Austin Hedges to 1-year contract for 2025
