Austin Hedges Trade To Texas Rangers: Package details, contract, and more

The Texas Rangers have continued to bolster their roster at the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline, landing veteran catcher Austin Hedges from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for international bonus pool space. While it may not seem like a blockbuster, the trade could be important down the stretch.

"The Rangers have acquired catcher Austin Hedges from the Pirates, per @Feinsand. With Jonah Heim injured, the Rangers fill a hole with Hedges." - @JustBB_Media

Austin Hedges could wind up playing a pivotal depth role for the Rangers at the catching position. The acquisition of Hedges is important for the club as the Rangers have placed their star catcher Jonah Heim on the IL with left wrist soreness.

While he cannot produce at the same level offensively as Heim, Hedges is an elite defensive player behind the plate. The 30-year-old will pair with Mitch Garver while Heim is sidelined. It remains to be seen if the Heim will need to undergo surgery, which is why the acquisition of Hedges could be so important for Texas.

The Pittsburgh Pirates were looking to move on from the veteran catcher as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. The international bonus pool space that the club added in the deal could come in handy in the future if it looks to land a top prospect on the international market.

"Just for clarification because a lot of people will misunderstand what happened. The Hedges trade is for international bonus pool space. The Int'l bonus pool has a hard cap, but you can acquire more space. Pirates don't get actual money, they get the ability to spend more money" - @JohnDreker

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The acquisition of Austin Hedges is just the latest in an exciting trade deadline for the Texas Rangers

Austin Hedges joins an ever-growing list of MLB players making their way to the Texas Rangers as the club continues to load up before the trade deadline. The American League West leaders have one of the best teams in baseball. However, a series of injuries have forced the club to be aggressive at the deadline.

So far this summer, the Texas Rangers have acquired Aroldis Chapman, Max Scherzer, Jordan Montgomery, Chris Stratton, and now Austin Hedges, completely reshaping their roster.

"Full details of the trade, per ESPN sources: Texas receives Max Scherzer. New York receives 21-year-old shortstop Luisangel Acuña, the brother of Atlanta star Ronald Acuña Jr. Scherzer opts in to 2024. The Rangers will pay Scherzer $22.5M. The Mets will cover $35M-plus." - @JeffPassan