Bleeding Yankee Blue: THE AMAZING BUZZ ABOUT AUSTIN WELLS

Sunday, June 14, 2020

THE AMAZING BUZZ ABOUT AUSTIN WELLS

The 2020 MLB Draft finally opened, and the Yankees began by selecting catcher Austin Wells from the University of Arizona.

This choice marks the second time in three years that the Yankees used their first draft pick to select a catcher. According to MLB Pipeline, Wells was the league's No. 27 prospect with a batting average of .353 through 56 games in 2019, with five home runs and 60 RBIs. Though this last season was cut to only 15 games by COVID-19, Wells batted .375 with two home runs and 14 RBIs. Wells was also named the Cape Cod League Outstanding Pro Prospect in the same year.

"I think it's a good pick late in the first round," said MLB Pipeline draft expert Jonathan Mayo. "That is exactly what the Yankees are buying there and figure out the position when he gets to the pro game. It's the hit and the power tools that really stand out. He's always been able to hit."

Here's Arizona catcher Austin Wells' reaction to being selected 28th overall by the Yankees pic.twitter.com/fId6lgmuJ5
— Ryan Kelapire (@RKelapire) June 11, 2020

There has been some speculation about whether or not Wells will remain a catcher in the long run, since he's been playing multiple positions. The Athletics' Keith Law claims that as a catcher, Wells is "below-average there already and likely to be too big for the position anyway." On the other hand, Mayo of Pipeline claims that he's probably "another guy that you send out as a catcher and see what happens."

If the Yankees want to take advantage of his batting prowess, they'll figure out the best place to put him if he decides to leave behind home plate.

There have also been some worries that Wells's shortcomings in his game, such as his throwing and blocking, will drive him away from the catcher role. Damon Oppenheimer, director of amateur scouting for the Yankees, said that despite these shortcomings, the Yankees' catching coaches would better guide him that the previous coaches he's had in the past.

Mayo remains optimistic with Wells, saying, "there's some comfort level knowing that if you have to move him, he's going to be just fine in any of those spots. That left-handed power, though, should get him to the big leagues quickly."

We here at BYB are excited to see Wells as a pick for the Yanks. Even BYB Contributor Missy O'Rourke wrote about him when the pick happened. Read AUSTIN WELLS IS READY TO HIT DINGERS FOR THE YANKEES for more on that.

Ultimately, when it comes to Wells, there's a lot of great buzz surrounding him. As Damon Oppenheimer said "We are very happy to get Austin Wells today. We thought he was one of the top hit and power combinations in the draft. We love his desire and makeup... he can be an impact guy."

Absolutely true!