Free agent slugger Joc Pederson has agreed to join the Texas Rangers, according to multiple reports early Monday morning.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal was the first one to report the agreement.
The terms of the contract were not immediately known.
Pederson declined a $14 million mutual option with a $3 million buyout from the Diamondbacks at the start of the offseason to enter free agency ahead of his age 33 season.
The D-backs inked Pederson to a $12.5 million deal for 2024, and the veteran was just about as good as the D-backs bargained for in his role. Pederson did not play an inning in the field and seldom faced left-handers.
Pederson crushed right-handed pitchers, producing a career-high .908 OPS (.275/.393/.515) in 132 games while batting third for the D-backs against righties. He added 23 home runs for an offense that led Major League Baseball in scoring, creating a powerful 1-2 punch with Christian Walker behind Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte. He was particularly outstanding in July and August when he earned a 1.050 OPS with 11 homers in 43 games.
Looking at his year-over-year trajectory, what has remained consistent are his abilities to work walks and reach base (12.2% walk rate in 2024) along with simply hitting the ball harder than most other players (92.3 mph exit velocity in 2024). He is in the upper echelon of baseball in both metrics, per Statcast.
The veteran also reached 10 years of MLB service time and provided another trusted voice in the clubhouse. He put in effort to ingratiate himself right away, hiring a taco truck for the team during spring training and hosting his teammates for off-field bonding.
After the season, he said he enjoyed his experience and would be happy to come back, noting "it was a really good young group last year. I think it matured and we made some steps in the right direction this year."
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported the D-backs had interest in bringing Pederson back after a successful season in the Valley. Arizona entered the offseason with Walker, Pederson and outfielder Randal Grichuk hitting the market, opening holes in the formidable lineup from 2024.
Walker has since signed with the Houston Astros.
Meanwhile, Arizona went out and found his replacement, acquiring former Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor in exchange for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance Round B draft pick.
Pederson spent 2014-20 with the Los Angeles Dodgers before splitting time in 2021 with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves, winning the World Series with Atlanta. He signed with the San Francisco Giants, where he spent two season before his contract with Arizona.