Veteran OF Josh Reddick signs with Australian Baseball League's Perth Heat

The Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League announced that veteran outfielder Josh Reddick has signed a one-year contract. Reddick is currently playing in the Mexican League, and he’ll join the Heat later this year closer to the start of the 2022-23 ABL season in November.

Back in February, Reddick inked a deal with the Acereros de Monclova to continue his career south of the border. He’ll now continue the international sojourn by heading to Australia, and as Reddick noted in the club’s press release, “the main thing is I want to play baseball, I want to play for as long as I can.”

The 35-year-old Reddick has played in each of the last 13 MLB seasons, suiting up with the Red Sox, Athletics, Dodgers, Astros and Diamondbacks from 2009-21. While it has been a few years since Reddick has been a league-average hitter, he has a solid .262/.321/.426 slash line (104 wRC+) over 4879 career plate appearances in the majors, as his left-handed swing produced consistent numbers against righty pitching. Reddick was also one of the game’s better defensive right fielders of the last decade, highlighted by his Gold Glove in 2012.

Reddick is one of the most prominent players to ever play in the ABL, and he’ll join a Perth club that includes such former MLB veterans as Zac Reininger and Warwick Saupold. The ABL will be resuming operations after canceling their 2021-2022 season due to various logistical complications caused by the pandemic.