Bo Naylor

Veteran catcher Austin Hedges, who helped mentor Bo Naylor for the AL Central champion Guardians last season, has re-signed a one-year deal to stay with the team.

The deal is now official. Hedges returns to Cleveland in a backup role to young starter Bo Naylor. The 32-year-old backstop remains a standout defender behind the dish, but he's been a non-factor at the plate since entering the league back in 2015.

Financial terms are not yet available. Hedges is one of the worst hitters in baseball and registered just a .422 OPS in his 146 plate appearances for the Guardians in 2024, but that's not why he's returning. He's well regarded as one of the better defenders behind the plate, and the 32-year-old will be the backup to Bo Naylor with some late-inning appearances in 2025.