For the second year in a row, the Pirates are signing a defensive-minded catcher away from Cleveland.
Per source, the club is in agreement for a one-year, $5 million deal with Austin Hedges. The deal is pending a physical.
Hedges, 30, leads all catchers in defensive runs saved since his debut in 2015 (75). His eight defensive runs saved ranked eighth among all catchers last year, which included saving an estimated 4.4 runs via pitch framing and throwing out 22% of potential base stealers (13 out of 60).
His high level defense comes with offensive struggles, though. He slashed .163/.241/.248 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs over 338 plate appearances last year for the Guardians. His .489 OPS was the worst among all position players with at least 300 plate appearances last year.
Hedges had a 42 OPS+ last season, marking his fourth straight season with an OPS+ of 50 (which is half the offensive production of the average player) or less. He does have one quality offensive season on his ledger, where he posted a .711 OPS in 2018, but that looks like an exception that what has been poor career offensive numbers.
He is a career .189 hitter over 2,001 plate appearances and was worth -0.6 fWAR in 2022, according to FanGraphs.
Catcher was an area of need for the Pirates this winter, especially after Derek Shelton said at the Winter Meetings in San Diego last week that top prospects Endy Rodriguez and Henry Davis will start the season in the minors. Rodriguez is the only catcher currently on the 40 man roster.
It appeared that reuniting with last year's opening day catcher Roberto Pérez was a possible reunion to fill the hole at catcher, but Hedges provides roughly the same level of defense at the same salary Pérez made last year. The trade off is Hedges has less offensive upside and a better injury track record.
As for internal options the Pirates have for the opening day team, Tyler Heineman has a minor-league deal in place, according to a source, pending a physical. Jason Delay, who was the primary catcher last year along with Heineman, is also in the organization after being outrighted off the roster earlier this winter.
The Pirates currently have a full 40 man roster. They will need to make a corresponding move for both Hedges and left-hander Jarlín García, who is agreement for a one-year deal that has yet to be announced by the club.
