It was supposed to be a breakout year — a launchpad season for one of the Yankees’ most trusted young players behind the plate.
Instead, what they’ve seen from Austin Wells is a mixture of raw tools, defensive excellence, and maddening inconsistency at the plate.
A season that started with big expectations
The Yankees didn’t just pencil Wells into the starting lineup — they circled him, starred him, and bet on his lefty power.
He began the season batting fifth, even flirting with the leadoff spot as manager Aaron Boone looked to shake things up.
But after 155 at-bats, the numbers just haven’t followed the hype: a .206 average, .271 OBP, and .703 OPS with eight home runs.
He’s hitting the ball hard — but not the right way
Dig into the metrics and there’s reason for hope. Wells ranks in the 73rd percentile in average exit velocity, which is solid.
He’s barreling the ball up 67% of the time and sitting in the 77th percentile for hard-hit rate — those are strong indicators.
But it all falls apart when you look at his discipline. He’s chasing bad pitches and whiffing far too often on strikes.
That kind of approach leads to cold streaks that linger — and that’s exactly what’s pushed him down to the eight hole recently.
Framing remains elite — and the Yankees value that
Despite the struggles at the plate, Wells is doing something most young catchers take years to master: stealing strikes.
He leads MLB in catcher framing runs with five, ranking in the 100th percentile — a sign of true defensive mastery.
In a staff as deep and evolving as the Yankees’ rotation, that kind of pitch framing can be the difference in tight games.
But in a lineup built for October, weak offensive production can’t hide for long — even behind gold-standard glove work.
JC Escarra’s emergence is quietly putting pressure on Wells
The backup catcher role wasn’t expected to become a storyline this season, but J.C. Escarra had other plans.
In his first year in the majors, Escarra is slashing .244/.352/.400 with a 117 wRC+ — a highly respectable line for a backup.
He’s also elite behind the plate, mirroring much of Wells’ defensive upside, but with a bit more bat-to-ball consistency.
That contrast is becoming harder to ignore, especially with the Yankees’ offense humming and competition tightening.
Still time to turn it around — but the clock is ticking
The Yankees remain one of the top offensive clubs in the league, so Wells’ struggles haven’t sunk the ship — not yet.
But October baseball doesn’t leave room for passengers, and Wells has to rediscover the rhythm that earned him the spotlight.
His raw power, athleticism, and elite defensive traits make him a rare player, but he’s fading from his early season role fast.
If he can’t find his swing soon, he may end up sharing more than just innings — he might be splitting a job he once owned outright.
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