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Yankees Rookie Emerging as a Top Catcher

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Back in June, it would’ve been ludicrous to say that Austin Wells should be the full-time starting catcher for the New York Yankees over Jose Trevino. By the end of the month, he was batting .214 with just three homers and 13 RBI. Trevino, on the other hand, was having another solid offensive season.

Aaron “Platoon” Boone

So why did Aaron Boone continue to platoon his two catchers 50/50? Wells appeared to have the slight edge defensively, but his bat just did not look major league-ready.

In April, amidst the start of Wells’ struggles, Boone said of his young catcher: “I do feel over time that’ll show itself. He just has to make the most of it when he can and be as prepared as you can, which he is. I’m confident that he will be an offensive factor for us as the season continues.”

As it turns out, he was completely right.

Not only has Wells been one of New York’s hottest hitters over the past month, but his stellar defense behind the dish has made him one of the Yankees’ most valuable players. If he keeps it up, he very well may soon be considered one of the top catchers in baseball.

Slow Start

As mentioned, Wells did not enter the league and see immediate success. A September call-up last season, the 25-year-old Arizonan impressed Boone with his game-calling and dedication to defense. In spring training this year, Boone was again impressed with his defense but also his bat; as a result, Wells was rewarded with a spot sharing catching duties with Trevino.

Though he struggled heavily with his bat for the first half of the year, Boone kept faith in his young catcher and continued to give him regular playing time. So, when Trevino injured his left quad on July 13, Wells was given the chance to start every day. And he ran with it.

Austin Wells Emerging as Top-Tier Catcher for Yankees

Hefty Lefty

Touted for his left-handed power throughout college and in the minors, many were expecting Wells to be an offense-first catcher. While this hasn’t necessarily been the case, he has still shown excellent poise at the plate. His OBP of .347 ranks fourth amongst catchers with 80+ games played. He also has 35 walks and 58 strikeouts in 83 games, highlighting his advanced plate discipline despite his limited experience.

We haven’t quite seen the full extent of his power yet; he has just nine homers this season. His slugging percentage is also not quite great (.426), but did show the ability to hit for power last September. If he can continue developing his hitting like he has, he could be a consistent 20-30 home run hitter.

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Prowess Behind the Plate

What’s most impressive about Wells’ defense is how it flies under the radar. According to Baseball Savant, Wells is in the 95th percentile of all catchers in terms of framing. Not only that, but he is also ranked as above-average at blocking and throwing out runners.

Most importantly, however, Wells is a catcher who pitchers want to throw to. Yankees pitchers have a lower ERA when pitching to Wells than Trevino, which is perhaps the most effective way to evaluate a catcher’s value as a game-caller.

Considering Wells is only in his rookie year, there is a lot to like about his defensive skills.

Season Outlook

As of August 15, Wells has an fWAR of 3.0 over 83 games. This is mightily impressive for a rookie catcher. And by the looks of it, this number is going to shoot up quickly. Wells is hitting .364 with nine RBI and four extra-base hits in August, by far the best stretch of his young career.

As for when his catching counterpart in Trevino returns to the Yankees, it seems that Austin Wells has officially won the starting job. Not only that, but it looks like the young catcher is on his way to becoming one of the best catchers in the game.

 

Photo Credit: © Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

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