It’s not every day a catcher bats leadoff, but the Yankees aren’t following a traditional script this season — and Austin Wells is proof of that.
The 25-year-old backstop brings the heat in more ways than one. His bat has been sizzling since the start of spring, and it didn’t take long for him to light the match in the regular season. On Opening Day against the Milwaukee Brewers, Wells launched a first-inning solo shot to right field — the very first swing of the Yankees’ 2025 campaign.
That wasn’t just a moment — it was a statement.
Wells offers firepower and flare in the leadoff role, something the Yankees haven’t had at that spot in years. While his glove behind the plate has become quietly excellent, it’s his offensive game that got him to the show. Wells mashed in the minors and has carried that momentum into his sophomore season. The Yankees are betting big on him sticking — and so far, he’s delivering.
Aaron Judge: Earth Beneath Their Feet
If Wells is fire, Aaron Judge is the rock — the foundation, the gravity that holds the lineup together.
Now 32, Judge is still one of the most feared hitters in baseball. He’s not flashy. He’s not bouncing around the bases. He’s steady, powerful, and consistent — just like Earth. On Thursday, Judge did what he always seems to do — made noise. He laced an RBI double to left field in the seventh inning and looked right at home, as if Opening Day jitters simply don’t exist in his world.
Judge has been the MVP in two of the last three years and played 158 games last season, silencing the injury concerns and reminding everyone that he’s still the anchor. His presence alone changes how pitchers approach the Yankees lineup. Add to that the possibility of Wells or Cody Bellinger being on base ahead of him, and the recipe for damage is always brewing.
Cody Bellinger: Wind Through the Bronx
Rounding out the trio is the new addition — Cody Bellinger — the wind that whistles through Yankee Stadium and lifts baseballs just enough to kiss the short porch.
While he doesn’t always bring raw power like Judge, Bellinger has torque in his swing and the type of hands that whip through the zone like a breeze through tall grass. It’s efficient, it’s elegant, and it can be devastating when timed up.
Bellinger picked up a hit in his Yankees debut and looked just as smooth as he did in spring training, when he torched opposing pitching to the tune of a .423/.464/.750 slash line across 19 games. He added four homers and eight RBIs in that span, giving a glimpse of what’s to come when he finds his groove in the Bronx.
The Yankees don’t need Bellinger to be a 40-homer guy — they need him to be a gap-to-gap nightmare for pitchers, working counts and setting the stage for the power bats behind him.
A Perfect Storm Brewing
This isn’t your classic top of the lineup. It’s a blend of youthful electricity, veteran might, and smooth, left-handed thunder. Together, Wells, Judge, and Bellinger give the Yankees a dynamic trio with different skill sets — and different elements.
Fire. Earth. Wind.
If the rest of the league isn’t careful, they might get burned, buried, or swept away.