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MLB
Austin Hedges
Austin Hedges
Cleveland Guardians, Catcher
Age: 33y-6m-19d (Aug 18, 1992)
Exp: 9.166 Years
Country: US
Drafted: Round 2 (#82 overall), 2011
Agent(s): Scott Boras (Boras Corporation)
2026 Payroll Salary
$4,000,000
2026 Cash
$4,000,000
Career Earnings
$27,999,022
2026-2026 Pending Free Agent Extension (CURRENT)
Austin Hedges signed a 1 year, $4,000,000 contract with the Cleveland Guardians, including $4,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $4,000,000. In 2026, Hedges will earn a base salary of $4,000,000, while carrying a total salary of $4,000,000.
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $4,000,000
Average Salary:
$4,000,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
Free Agent:
2027 / UFA
YOS @ Signing:
9.166
| Year | Age | YOS | PayrollAnnual | Luxury Tax | Tax % League Tax | Cash Annual | Cash Cumulative | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 |
|
33 | 9.166 | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | 1.64% | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 |
| 2027 |
|
34 | - |
UFA |
| Year | Age | Service | Base Salary | Incentives Likely | Incentives Unlikely | Payroll Salary | Luxury Tax | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 |
|
33 | 9.166 | $4,000,000 | - | - | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 |
| 2027 |
|
34 | -- |
UFA |
| Year | Age | Base Salary | Cash Total | Cash Cumulative | Cash Remaining | AYC Cumulative | AYC Remaining | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 |
|
33 | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 |
Contract Notes
- Performance Incentives: $500k total
Games Started (Catcher):
70: $125k
75: $125k
80: $125k
85: $125k
Source:
MLB contract specifics generally collected from verified reports.
2025-2025 Free Agent
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $4,000,000
Average Salary:
$4,000,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
Free Agent:
2026 / UFA
YOS @ Signing:
8.166
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2024-2024 Free Agent
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $4,000,000
Average Salary:
$4,000,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
7.166
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2023-2023 Free Agent
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $5,000,000
Average Salary:
$5,000,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
6.166
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2022-2022 Arbitration
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $4,000,000
Average Salary:
$4,000,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
5.166
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2021-2021 Arbitration
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $3,280,000
Average Salary:
$3,280,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
4.166
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2020-2020 Arbitration
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $3,000,000
Average Salary:
$3,000,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
3.166
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2019-2019 Arbitration
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $2,060,000
Average Salary:
$2,060,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
2.166
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2018-2018 Pre-Arbitration
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $553,100
Average Salary:
$553,100
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
1.166
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2017-2017 Pre-Arbitration
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $537,100
Average Salary:
$537,100
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
0.166
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2016-2016 Pre-Arbitration
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $509,500
Average Salary:
$509,500
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
0.154
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2015-2015 Pre-Arbitration
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $507,500
Average Salary:
$507,500
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
0
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2011-2011 Signing Bonus
Contract Terms:
1 yr(s) / $3,000,000
Average Salary:
$3,000,000
Signing Bonus:
N/A
YOS @ Signing:
0
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Seasons
9.166 Years
Career Earnings thru 2026
$27,999,022
Earnings w/ Different Teams
4 teams
Earnings Per Year
| Year | Age | Team(s) | Service | Status | Cash Total | Cash Cumulative | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 18 |
 |
- |
Signing Bonus
|
$3,000,000 |
$3,000,000 |
|
| 2015 | 22 |
|
0 |
Active
|
$424,303 |
$3,424,303 |
|
| 2016 | 23 |
|
0.154 |
Active
|
$33,408 |
$3,457,711 |
|
| 2017 | 24 |
|
0.166 |
Active
|
$537,100 |
$3,994,811 |
|
| 2018 | 25 |
|
1.166 |
Active
|
$553,100 |
$4,547,911 |
|
| 2019 | 26 |
|
2.166 |
Active / Arb Avoided
|
$2,060,000 |
$6,607,911 |
|
| 2020 | 27 |
 |
3.166 |
Active / Arb Avoided
Retained
|
$464,352 $646,759 |
$7,072,263 $7,719,022 |
|
| 2021 | 28 |
|
4.166 |
Active / Arb Avoided
|
$3,280,000 |
$10,999,022 |
|
| 2022 | 29 |
|
5.166 |
Active / Arb Avoided
|
$4,000,000 |
$14,999,022 |
|
| 2023 | 30 |
  |
6.166 |
Active
Retained
|
$1,639,802 $3,360,198 |
$16,638,824 $19,999,022 |
Champion |
| 2024 | 31 |
 |
7.166 |
Active
|
$4,000,000 |
$23,999,022 |
|
| 2025 | 32 |
|
8.166 |
Active
|
$4,000,000 |
$27,999,022 |
|
| Total |
$27,999,022 |
$27,999,022 |
|||||
| 2026 | 33 |
|
9.166 |
Active
|
$4,000,000 |
||
| Total |
$31,999,022 |
Earnings Per Team
| Years | Team | Base | Signing | Incentives | Cash Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 |
|
$4,254,670 | $3,000,000 | - | $7,254,670 |
| 5 |
|
$15,744,352 | - | - | $15,744,352 |
| 1 |
|
$1,639,802 | - | - | $1,639,802 |
| 1 |
|
$3,360,198 | - | - | $3,360,198 |
| Year | Team(s) | Age | Base | Signing | Incentives | Cash Total | Cash Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 |
|
18 |
$3,000,000 |
$3,000,000 |
$3,000,000 |
||
| 2015 |
|
22 |
$424,303
|
$424,303 |
$3,424,303 |
||
| 2016 |
|
23 |
$33,408
|
$33,408 |
$3,457,711 |
||
| 2017 |
|
24 |
$537,100
|
$537,100 |
$3,994,811 |
||
| 2018 |
|
25 |
$553,100
|
$553,100 |
$4,547,911 |
||
| 2019 |
|
26 |
$2,060,000
|
$2,060,000 |
$6,607,911 |
||
| 2020 |
|
27 |
$464,352 $646,759
|
$464,352 $646,759 |
$7,072,263 $7,719,022 |
||
| 2021 |
|
28 |
$3,280,000
|
$3,280,000 |
$10,999,022 |
||
| 2022 |
|
29 |
$4,000,000
|
$4,000,000 |
$14,999,022 |
||
| 2023 |
|
30 |
$1,639,802 $3,360,198
|
$1,639,802 $3,360,198 |
$16,638,824 $19,999,022 |
||
| 2024 |
|
31 |
$4,000,000
|
$4,000,000 |
$23,999,022 |
||
| 2025 |
|
32 |
$4,000,000
|
$4,000,000 |
$27,999,022 |
||
| Total |
$24,999,022 |
$3,000,000 |
$27,999,022 |
$27,999,022 |
|||
| 2026 |
|
33 |
$4,000,000
|
$4,000,000 |
|||
| Total |
$28,999,022 |
$3,000,000 |
$31,999,022 |
Earnings Per Team
| Years | Team | Base | Signing | Incentives | Cash Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 |
|
$4,254,670 | $3,000,000 | - | $7,254,670 |
| 5 |
|
$15,744,352 | - | - | $15,744,352 |
| 1 |
|
$1,639,802 | - | - | $1,639,802 |
| 1 |
|
$3,360,198 | - | - | $3,360,198 |
Injuries
| Year | Dates | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
CLE |
Jun 05, 2025 - Jun 13, 2025 | Concussion |
| 2023 |
PIT |
Apr 04, 2023 - Apr 14, 2023 | Concussion |
| 2022 |
CLE |
Jun 28, 2022 - Jul 08, 2022 | Concussion |
| 2021 |
CLE |
Jun 16, 2021 - Jun 24, 2021 | Concussion |
| 2017 |
SD |
Jul 18, 2017 - Jul 30, 2017 | Concussion |
-
Oct 15, 2025
Signed a 1 year $4 million contract extension with Cleveland (CLE)
-
Nov 06, 2024
Signed a 1 year $4 million contract with Cleveland (CLE)
-
Dec 10, 2023
Signed a 1 year $4 million contract with Cleveland (CLE)
-
Aug 01, 2023
Traded to Texas (TEX) from Pittsburgh (PIT) for International Bonus Pool Cap Space ($776,500)
-
Dec 20, 2022
Signed a 1 year $5 million contract with Pittsburgh (PIT)
-
Mar 22, 2022
Signed a 1 year $4 million contract with Cleveland (CLE), avoiding arbitration
-
Jan 15, 2021
Signed a 1 year $3.28 million contract with Cleveland (CLE), avoiding arbitration
-
Aug 31, 2020
Traded to Cleveland (CLE) from San Diego (SD) with Josh Naylor , Cal Quantrill , Gabriel Arias , Joey Cantillo and Owen Miller for Mike Clevinger, Greg Allen and Matt Waldron
-
Jan 10, 2020
Signed a 1 year $3 million contract with San Diego (SD), avoiding arbitration
-
Jan 11, 2019
Signed a 1 year $2.06 million contract with San Diego (SD), avoiding arbitration
-
Mar 24, 2018
Signed a 1 year $553,100 contract with San Diego (SD)
-
Feb 24, 2017
Signed a 1 year $537,100 contract with San Diego (SD)
-
Mar 04, 2016
Signed a 1 year $509,500 contract with San Diego (SD)
-
Aug 15, 2011
Signed a contract with San Diego (SD)
-
Jun 07, 2011
Drafted by San Diego (SD): Round 2 (#82 overall)
| Year | Team | GP | GS | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | BB | K | SB | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | CLE | 70 | 54 | 180 | 155 | 13 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 43 | 18 | 43 | 1 | .161 | .244 | .277 | .521 | -0.32 |
| 2024 | CLE | 66 | 46 | 143 | 132 | 12 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 29 | 6 | 50 | 2 | .152 | .203 | .220 | .423 | -0.61 |
| 2023 | TEX | 82 | 66 | 201 | 185 | 14 | 34 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 42 | 11 | 47 | 1 | .184 | .234 | .227 | .461 | -1.07 |
| 2022 | CLE | 105 | 97 | 328 | 294 | 26 | 48 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 30 | 73 | 25 | 78 | 2 | .163 | .241 | .248 | .489 | -0.36 |
| 2021 | CLE | 88 | 85 | 305 | 286 | 32 | 51 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 31 | 88 | 15 | 87 | 1 | .178 | .220 | .308 | .528 | 0.04 |
| 2020 | CLE | 35 | 22 | 78 | 69 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 6 | 23 | 1 | .145 | .231 | .290 | .521 | -0.23 |
| 2019 | SD | 103 | 93 | 345 | 312 | 28 | 55 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 36 | 97 | 27 | 109 | 1 | .176 | .252 | .311 | .563 | -0.73 |
| 2018 | SD | 92 | 81 | 326 | 303 | 29 | 70 | 14 | 2 | 14 | 37 | 130 | 21 | 90 | 3 | .231 | .282 | .429 | .711 | 1.18 |
| 2017 | SD | 120 | 110 | 415 | 386 | 36 | 83 | 17 | 0 | 18 | 55 | 154 | 23 | 122 | 4 | .215 | .263 | .399 | .662 | 0.93 |
| 2016 | SD | 8 | 7 | 26 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | .125 | .154 | .167 | .321 | -0.44 |
| 2015 | SD | 56 | 41 | 149 | 137 | 13 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 34 | 8 | 38 | 0 | .168 | .215 | .248 | .463 | -0.35 |
Calculated Market Value
Market Value
- 1 years, $884,172
- Avg. Salary: $884,172
- MLB Rank: 593
- C Rank: 47
Current Contract
- Free Agent: 2027
- Avg. Salary: $4,000,000
- MLB Rank: 320
- C Rank: 22
Comparable Players
We've selected the following players based on their age, contract status, and statistical production to compare Austin Hedges to.
| Player | Length | Value | Avg. Salary | Age When Signed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omar Narváez | 1 | $850,000 | $850,000 | 33 |
| Ben Rortvedt | 1 | $1,125,000 | $1,125,000 | 27 |
| Anthony Bemboom | 1 | $900,000 | $900,000 | 32 |
| Jose Herrera | 1 | $772,200 | $772,200 | 27 |
| Averages | 1 | $911,800 | $911,800 | 29.8 |
Base Calculated Value
After adjusting the above contracts as if signed at Hedges's current age (33), a linear regression is performed, providing us with the following initial value.
| Length | Value | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $911,800 | $911,800 |
Statistical Comparisons
Now we'll compare our variables and Hedges statistically over the two seasons prior to their signing. In this case we're analyzing: GP%, H/Gm, RBI/Gm, K/Gm, AVG/Yr, OPS, WOBP, ISO, WAR
| Player | GP% | H/Gm | RBI/Gm | K/Gm | AVG/Yr | OPS | WOBP | ISO | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Omar Narváez
2023-2024
|
23.38 | 0.49 | 0.16 | 0.51 | 0.18 | 0.48 | 0.23 | 0.06 | -2.87 |
|
Ben Rortvedt
2023-2024
|
44.31 | 0.51 | 0.24 | 0.74 | 0.17 | 0.54 | 0.26 | 0.09 | 1.10 |
|
Anthony Bemboom
2021-2022
|
9.26 | 0.40 | 0.10 | 0.90 | 0.17 | 0.45 | 0.22 | 0.05 | -3.36 |
|
Jose Herrera
2023-2024
|
26.15 | 0.51 | 0.24 | 0.67 | 0.22 | 0.58 | 0.28 | 0.07 | -1.03 |
| Average | 25.78 | 0.48 | 0.19 | 0.71 | 0.19 | 0.51 | 0.25 | 0.07 | -1.54 |
|
Austin Hedges
2024-2025
|
41.70 | 0.31 | 0.18 | 0.73 | 0.15 | 0.45 | 0.21 | 0.09 | -2.62 |
| Pct Change | 61.75 | -35.42 | -5.26 | -2.82 | -23.68 | -12.75 | -17.60 | 28.57 | 0.00 |
| Median Prime % Change | -5.26% | ||||||||
| Average Prime % Change | -0.80% | ||||||||
Calculated Market Value: Austin Hedges
After applying our Prime % figures into our base calculated value, we're given two values. The average of these values becomes our current calculated market value.
| Terms | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|
| 1 years, $884,172 | $884,172 |
