When a high school baseball player has a commitment to attend a specific college, some teams try to lure them away in the draft by spending a mid or late-round pick and offering over-slot money. Some of them sign, others honor that commitment and go the university. New York Yankees‘ first round selection last night, Austin Wells, was in the second camp.
Oddly enough, the team that tried to lure him away from a college commitment in 2018 were the New York Yankees. He decided to go to the University of Arizona to pursue his education and hone his game a little bit more. The decision paid off.
In a couple of years with the Wildcats, Allen developed a sweet swing that is a great bet to hit for both average and power when he goes to the highest competition, Major League Baseball. The Yankees took him on Wednesday night with the 28th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.
The Yankees had their eye on him since 2017
Wells’ true breakthrough year was in 2017, while he was at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. But he hurt his elbow and was unable to play in his senior season. Nevertheless, the Yankees drafted him in the 35th round of the 2018 Draft.
Wells decided to keep his word and go to Arizona. “Coming here was the best decision I ever made,†Wells told Tucson.com in February. “So I’m super thankful … not thankful that (my injury) happened, but I’m thankful that I was able to go through this process, because I feel so much more prepared to play baseball at the next level.â€
He dominated with the Wildcats, with a .353/.462/.552 as a freshman and a .375 average and a .527 OBP in his abbreviated sophomore year.
“God has an interesting path sometimes,†Austin’s father, Greg Wells, said via Tucson.com. “If you look at where Austin is at today versus where he would have been signing out of high school, he’s a better person, a better man, more educated.â€