Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges was never going to keep up his incredible early-season pace with the bat. He’s just not that good offensively, but that’s perfectly fine because the contributions he makes elsewhere make up for everything he may lack at the plate.
He is still hitting a solid .292 with a passable .708 OPS, which is not bad at all for a backup catcher. What matters the most is what he does behind the dish, though.
Hedges has a reputation as a top defensive catcher for a reason. He is a master of his craft: framing, blocking, throwing to the bases, you name it.
But his game-calling skills are second to none, and if you don’t believe us, just hear what Parker Messick, Cleveland’s breakout lefty, has to say about him.
“Every single game, from start to finish this year, has been amazing. I’ve done my best to sing [Austin Hedges’] praises after every one of my starts. Like he said, all I have to do is go out there and execute. He takes the pressure off me. I don’t think I’ve shaken in every start we’ve had. I’ve thrown every pitch he’s called. I just trust he has the experience back there and he knows what he’s look at,” Messick said, per team insider Mason Horodyski.
“I've done my best to sing his praises after every one of my starts”#Guardians Parker Messick on his trust in his catcher Austin Hedges#GuardsBall x @WEWS pic.twitter.com/3ZyBSVCWgV
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) April 17, 2026
Messick was the one on the mound throwing eight innings of just two runs in Thursday’s victory against the Baltimore Orioles, flirting with a no-hitter and taking his ERA to a beautiful 1.05 with a perfect 3-0 record. However, you can tell Hedges had a big influence on the outcome, as well.
A veteran catcher like him knows how to attack hitters, their strengths and weaknesses. He knows Messick’s arsenal to perfection and how to deploy it to exploit opposing lineups’ flaws.
Messick is, of course, the first person who deserves credit for his current run of form. The Guardians, however, have given him all the tools to succeed, and Hedges has been a perfect partner for him.
There’s a lot ot like about Bo Naylor as a major leaguer despite the rough results he has gotten in recent seasons, but games like Thursday’s remind us that Hedges needs to play at least a couple of times a week, if not more.
At the very least, he deserves to be behind the plate each time Messick is on the mound.
NEXT: Analyst Reveals How Guardians Can Unlock Their Lineup
