The Cleveland Guardians have extended a one-year contract with 33-year-old backup catcher Hedges.

Tim Stebbins, a reporter for the Cleveland Guardians' official website, reported on the 16th Beijing time that the team promptly discussed a contract with 33-year-old backup catcher Austin Hedges following the postseason, agreeing on a one-year extension with a $4 million salary for 2026 (about 29 million RMB) plus $500,000 in incentives.

Over the past two seasons, Hedges appeared in 66 and 68 games respectively for the Guardians, posting an OPS of just 0.527 this year. Serving as the team's backup catcher, his primary role is to support young players’ development in the clubhouse and enhance team communication. This season, the Guardians made a remarkable comeback from a 15.5-game deficit midseason to clinch the American League Central title, with Hedges playing a key role as a veteran leader in team coordination.

This year marks Hedges’ 11th season in the major leagues, during which he has never signed a multi-year deal and has played for four different teams. After being traded to the Texas Rangers in the summer of 2023, he helped the team win the World Series, while spending several seasons with the Guardians over the past six years.

As a catcher whose career OPS has consistently hovered around 0.5, Hedges has demonstrated the value of a defense-first catcher. He effectively motivates teammates in the clubhouse to grow together; although not a star player, his career earnings have surpassed $30 million.