On the heels of a career year offensively, left-handed hitting slugger Joc Pederson has reached an agreement with the Texas Rangers, league sources confirmed to The Athletic.
The deal is pending a physical. Terms are not yet known.
Pederson, 32, posted career highs in batting average (.275), on-base percentage (.393), OPS (.908) and OPS+ (151) while being exclusively utilized as a designated hitter by the Arizona Diamondbacks, one of baseball’s best offenses in 2024. For a Diamondbacks team that led the league in runs scored, on-base percentage and RBI, Pederson also finished with 23 home runs and 64 RBI as he slugged .515. His 2.9 bWAR marked his second-highest single-season total over his 10 full MLB seasons.
Ahead of the 2024 season, the two-time All-Star agreed to a one-year deal worth $9.5 million with the Diamondbacks. A $3 million buyout kicked in a month ago, when he declined his part of a mutual option that would’ve paid him $14 million in 2025. Ranked as the No. 26 free agent on The Athletic’s Big Board, Pederson stood as one of the best left-handed bats available, with The Athletic’s Tim Britton projecting a one-year, $16 million deal.
Since his debut in 2014, Pederson has seen both his speed and defensive value decline. As such, the last time Pederson played in the outfield was in late September 2023. A true platoon hitter, Pederson will almost exclusively see right-handed pitching, owing to his .210 career average against southpaws. Still, one thing is for sure, the Rangers will benefit from 20-plus home run power, and, if his 2024 season serves as any indication, improved plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills.
(Photo: Norm Hall / Getty Images)
