The Cleveland Guardians have to find more offense.
That means that they may not have room for Austin Hedges on the roster, at least from a baseball perspective.
Nevertheless, it seems like Stephen Vogt will still find a way to keep him around, as he’s repeatedly called him the best defensive catcher in the world.
More than that, he’s always made a positive impact in the clubhouse, and he’s the type of veteran that’s worth keeping around.
With that in mind, team analyst Bruce Drennan claimed that he needed to show some signs of promise at the plate at Spring Training.
Moreover, he also believes he could have a future in coaching:
“He’s such a clubhouse leader, but you gotta hit and improve with the offense from that position. I could see him becoming a coach with our team. He’s such a mentor. They have a catcher close to being ready. If he shows promise in Spring Training, they could bring him up as a backup to Naylor,” Drennan said of Hedges.
Will Austin Hedges be a member of the #Guardians next year? #GuardsBall
"He's such a clubhouse leader, but you gotta hit and improve with the offense from that position."
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— Bruce Drennan Show (@Bruce_Drennan) October 14, 2025
Not many catchers can make a positive impact at the plate.
But with Bo Naylor closing out last season on a high note and showing some promise as a potential slugger, there’s no doubt that he should be the starter and the future of the organization at this crucial position.
The Guardians can’t afford to get sentimental at this point.
They’re a team on the outside looking in that could be just a couple of moves away from being a legitimate World Series contender, and as such, they need players who can contribute at the plate.
Of course, that’s not to say that they shouldn’t have a role or a place for a strong leader like Hedges.
Then again, they might be better off bringing him back as a mentor and coach once he retires.
NEXT: Bruce Drennan Sees Big Future Role For Former Guardians Pitcher
