The New York Yankees were left without a catcher after veteran backstop Kyle Higashioka was traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Juan Soto this off-season. Hence, top-catching prospect Austin Wells replaced Kyle to pair up with Jose Trevino as the Yanks’ backup catcher.
However, despite being a backup catcher, Austin Wells had equal starts compared to Jose Trevino before the latter landed on IL with quad injury. Meanwhile, now that Jose is on the cusp of return, Yankees manager Aaron Boone battles a conundrum over the ideal usage of both the catchers for the rest of the 2024 MLB season.
Aaron Boone Promises More Playing Time To Austin Wells!
Austin Wells, the New York Yankees’ young catcher, has made a significant impact with his bat since being called up into everyday roles earlier this year. He started as a backup catcher before eventually falling into the everyday role following Jose Trevino’s quad injury. Trevino has been out for four weeks and is nearing a rehab assignment. Hence, the catcher’s return before the end of August cannot be ruled out. Having said that, Yankee manager Aaron Boone is tasked to make big decisions with respect to catching depth once Jose returns. Wells has been performing excellently as a cleanup hitter so far. He has reached base multiple times in 10 of his last 12 starts, and his batting average during this stretch stayed at .380 with a 1.030 OPS.
Hence, once Jose Trevino returns, it would be difficult for Aaron Boone to put Austin Wells into the backup role. However, the skipper is expected to deal with his conundrum with utmost honesty. He revealed that while Trevino will play most of the games upon return, Wells will also witness a rise in his everyday opportunities. Also, Boone is mindful of Wells’ health. The prospect is playing his first full season in major leagues, and over the last few weeks, he has been used extensively in the absence of Jose Trevino. “I want to be mindful of that to try to keep him sharp and fresh at the back end of the season and hopefully beyond,” Boone said. Overall, the New York Yankees, who have struggled with offensive consistency, could benefit from keeping both catchers in the mix equally for the final stretch of the season.
Austin Wells Loving The Challenge Of Being Yankees Cleanup Hitter
Meanwhile, in the wake of Barry Bonds treatment to Aaron Judge, New York Yankees promoted Austin Wells to cleanup hitting role and he surprisingly thrived under pressure. He reached bases multiple times since promotion and is not even bothered by oppositions’ notorious approach towards Yankee captain.
Austin Wells revealed that he were playing against a beast like Aaron Judge, he would walk the slugger too. Its because, Judge is in the midst of an MVP caliber season and never misses a swing in his zone. However, irrespective of the intentional walking technique, the catcher is loving the challenge of hitting behind the mighty Judge.
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