KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After a long night, many of Austin Wells’ teammates had already left the visiting clubhouse at Kaufman Stadium when he settled in to ice his shoulders.
The Yankees catcher seems to have come to terms with injuries—not that he enjoys dealing with them—but it’s part of the routine he has to embrace while managing the demands of his position behind the plate. It’s a grind, to be honest.
This role can be particularly challenging for the Yankees, who have developed strategies to frame pitches effectively, giving Wells a better shot at stealing strikes. It becomes a bit overwhelming at times, especially when he’s focused on executing orders rather than simply playing his position.
“I think it’s especially tricky to prepare for each at-bat,” he noted. “Even during the week, sometimes, when you’re early in the game, you have to concentrate a bit harder. You catch yourself wondering what you should be doing next—like when someone comes to bat in the next inning, and you realize you were still thinking about the previous pitch.”
“So I’m just trying to figure out ways to improve moving forward and make my performance better. I’ve been putting in some work over the last few weeks, and I think it’s starting to show,” he added.
The statistics do reflect his effort. Following a 6-3 victory over the Royals, where he contributed with an RBI double, Wells has now hit .311 (14-45) with a .973 OPS in his last 13 games.
It was quite an impressive outing during the Yankees’ 10-2 win at Kansas City, where he had two at-bats that comprised 19 pitches and netted five RBIs. He hit a three-run homer after nine pitches against lefty Noah Cameron and followed up with a two-run double against righty Taylor Clark after a ten-pitch at-bat.
“It’s especially tough when you’re catching so many games and then stepping back in to play like he’s doing,” remarked teammate Max Fried. “Tuesday was just an example of him being a significant threat.”
Wells isn’t entirely sure how to gauge his performance this season. He’s batting .228 as of Thursday with a .293 on-base percentage and a .769 OPS, but he has notched 11 home runs and 42 RBIs. If he stays healthy, he could be on track for 27 home runs and 103 RBIs by season’s end.
“It’s funny, though,” he admitted. “It doesn’t really feel like that.”
“I want to hit the ball more effectively—get it to fall and find some grass out there. I’m not fully satisfied with where I’m at, but we’re winning, which is great. I just want to make a bigger contribution.”
The Yankees are certainly happy with what he brings, especially when he’s performing like this, reminiscent of last season. He aims to continue getting on base and being consistent.
Yet, it’s hard to overlook the overall value he adds. He ranks fifth among catchers in framing runs this season and has received consistent praise from pitchers for his collaboration with them. He even stands a chance to become the first Yankees catcher to tally 100 RBIs in a season since Jorge Posada in 2003.
“I genuinely believe he has great potential as a hitter,” manager Aaron Boone remarked. “If that average starts to show along with some power and a better on-base percentage, he’ll prove to be a productive major leaguer, particularly at the catcher position. He’s still learning, but he’s a very talented offensive player.”
