Austin Wells, a highly touted catching prospect, was drafted by the Yankees in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft. Known for his advanced approach at the plate and offensive prowess, Wells has shown tremendous potential since joining the organization. He was even called in for this year’s spring training. But an injury setback denied him a chance to audition for the major league roster spot.
Nonetheless, Austin Wells kept his chin up and moved to play for Double-A Somerset Patriots. His recent explosion on the plate has led the fans to call for a promotion. Meanwhile, apart from fulfilling his on-field duties, Wells also helped his peer, Anthony Volpe, pull off an exceptional resurgence on the plate. While he is happy for his peer, the catcher now wants to advance in his own journey.
Austin Wells Aiming To Reunite With Chicken Parm Buddy Anthony Volpe In The Yankees Roster
Austin Wells, the New York Yankees’ top-catching prospect, is making noise on and off the field. Off the field, he helped his fellow peer and Yanks rookie, Anthony Volpe, with an adjustment over a chicken parm dinner night that led to a crucial resurgence on the plate. He said that now when he looks back at that night, he finds it funny. But overall, the catcher feels extremely happy and proud that Volpe is finally attaining the success he deserves. Speaking of his Wells’ on-field journey, he has raked Double-A after returning from a rib injury. Since his return, he has hit .250 with 11 home runs, 49 RBIs, and .815 OPS.
Austin Wells has successfully managed to knock on the doors of major leagues. However, the catcher believes that these things are out of his control. He intends to keep doing hard work in minors and just hope for the best. Wells believes that thoughts of major league promotion are important as it helps in keeping the motivation to do better intact. Nobody like to stay in the same place in their career for a long time, and he is no different. The prospect wants to move ahead and is hopeful that the next opportunity is just around the corner. Luckily for Wells, the Yankees are certainly low on catchers. If Kyle Higashioka and Jose Trevino’s time on the plate don’t improve, the team might consider a change in scenery.
How A Chicken Parm Dinner Changed Anthony Volpe’s Career Trajectory?
Anthony Volpe, the Yankees 22-year-old rookie, faced a challenging time on the plate a while ago. Adjusting to major league pitching is not everyone’s cup of tea. Like every rookie, Volpe too struggled to work his way around the killer fastballs until he met Austin Wells for a chicken parm dinner. On an off-day, the shortstop headed back to his home in New Jersey and invited Wells over for dinner. During the night, the duo watched Volpe’s old batting clips when the catcher noticed something unusual in Volpe’s batting stance. He advised him to move closer to the plate and close the gap between his hips.
The rest is history. Since that day, Anthony Volpe has witnessed a sudden resurgence on the plate. In 16 games after the chicken parm dinner night, the rookie has hit .373 with one homer, one triple, five doubles, seven walks, two stolen bases, and 1.017 OPS. While the high strikeout rate still remains a problem, the increased number of hits on the plate is surely a welcoming sight. As the Yankees resume a crucial second half, they will bank on Anthony Volpe to provide such fiery instances of an explosion on the plate.
