Austin Wells, one of the New York Yankees’ highly regarded prospects, was called up to the majors last season when the roster expanded in September. While his debut was decent, Wells moved into the full-time role after Kyle Higashioka’s off-season trade to the San Diego Padres.
Moreover, ever since Jose Trevino went down on IL with a quad strain, Austin Wells transformed into the best everyday catcher in baseball. However, with Trevino on the cusp of return to action, New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone has made up his mind on the usage of two catchers to optimize the offensive production of the hitting lineup.
Austin Wells To Garner More Everyday Starts Owing To Recent Success
Jose Trevino, the New York Yankees lead catcher, suffered a quad strain in July and has been on injury list ever since. However, as per the latest update shared by skipper Aaron Boone, Trevino could start his minor league rehab assignment by this Sunday or early next week. Hence, his return timeline is around the final week of August. Having said that, Boone will have to manage Austin Wells’ playing time after Trevino is activated. Notably, Wells has been hitting .323 with a 168 wRC+ and a .948 OPS over 18 games since Jose’s absence. He is thriving as a cleanup hitter behind captain Aaron Judge and is producing quality at-bats to improve his Rookie of the Year candidature.
Hence, Aaron Boone has confirmed that after Jose Trevino returns back to action, Austin Wells will see more playing time. “Where Austin has gone here over the last month or six weeks will probably garner a lot of playing time,” Boone said. With the rookie being just 25 years old, his body should be able to handle the 162-game grind. Meanwhile, for Trevino, a quad injury is always tricky and hence reducing his playing time would be the wisest choice. Interestingly, the idea of playing Wells as DH on days where Trevino serves as a backstop was shot down by Boone. Regardless, the New York Yankees have made it clear that they see Wells as a significant part of their future. While Trevino’s return will bring stability to the Yanks’ defence, Austin Wells’ playing time is unlikely to decrease significantly.
Yankees Sign Blue Jays Outfielder In Minor League Contract
The New York Yankees have acquired outfielder Cam Eden from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations. Eden has been optioned to Triple-A Scranton as the team bolstered the outfield depth. Cam Eden is a young and promising player with the ability to contribute both defensively and on the base paths.
He stole 26 bases in 91 Triple-A games and had a 1.300 OPS at High-A in 2022. Needless to say, Cam Eden is expected to provide depth and flexibility in the Yankees’ outfield rotation. Also, his speed could be utilized as a pinch-runner in key situations. However, he will stay in the minors for the near future. A promotion is September when the roster expands is possible given Eden keeps performing.
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