Austin Wells, a promising catching prospect, was called up to the major leagues by the New York Yankees in September 2023 as a part of the youth moment. He left an everlasting impact in a small sample size to earn a starter’s spot on the Yankee roster for the 2024 MLB season.
Having said that, Austin Wells first full season in majors has been marked by high and lows. However, recently, the catcher has been showing signs of breakout following an unconventional change in the hitting order. While Wells is thriving in an important role, will Yankees skipper Aaron Boone continue to shower faith in him?
Austin Wells Witnesses Steep Rise In Offensive Production At Cleanup
Top-catching prospect Austin Wells’ transition to the majors has been closely watched, and he has not disappointed. Owing to Kyle Higashioka’s off-season trade to the Padres, Wells earned the spot of backup catcher alongside Jose Trevino at the beginning of the 2024 season. However, with Trevino landing on IL with a quad injury, Wells was promoted to New York Yankees lead catcher. That being said, amid bouts of inconsistency, Austin Wells was promoted to cleanup hitter in the final week of July. In 12 games batting at fourth spot, the catcher is hitting .347 with a .944 OPS. After the All-Star break specifically, Wells has hit three home runs and 11 RBIs in 16 games.
That being said, the cleanup hitter’s role is critical in any lineup, tasked with driving in runs and providing protection for the heart of the order. Wells has demonstrated his capability in this role with several clutch hits and home runs. However, it remains to be seen as to how long Yankees skipper Aaron Boone continues to trust him. If he maintains his current form, Wells could very well be the catalyst that propels the Yanks deeper into October.
But overall, we expect the manager to fiddle with the lineup going forward. Outfielder Alex Verdugo, who is leading off, could be moved back to clean up with Giancarlo Stanton, which is also an option. Jazz Chisholm Jr is batting sixth for the moment. Regardless of what happens, Austin Wells is truly emerging as one of the top-hitting contenders. He is still young and could end up being the top catcher the franchise has ever produced.
Yankees To Promote Will Warren For Rescheduled Double Header
The New York Yankees series opener against the Los Angeles Angles was postponed amid stormy rain in the city of New York. About 4 inches of rains was dumped in just a few hours, leaving to flash flooding. Hence, the Yanks and Angels will play in a doubleheader on Wednesday.
While Luis Gil will continue with his scheduled start in Game 1, top prospect Will Warren has been recalled to pitch in Game 2. Warren made his major league debut last week when he replaced Gerrit Cole who skipped his start against the Phillies due to body fatigue. The prospect pitched 5.1 inning and allowed four runs on debut.
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