Reviewing The New Starting Catcher! The Mustache Man #88
The Yankees have a catcher that is currently on fire! Yes, that's right folks, Austin Wells is swinging the bat like an MLB professional facing a little league pitcher.
Austin Wells had a slow start to Spring Training, going 1 for 8 in his first couple of at-bats. However, he heated up quickly, now having 21 at-bats with 6 hits, 3 walks, 2 HRs, and 8 RBIs, combining for a batting average of .286. These are great stats for Yankee fans to take note of because Austin Wells, in previous years in the minors, typically hits around .270 for a batting average. Wells got called to the majors for 19 games last season, where he had a .229 batting average. Not great, but he did show off some impressive power as he hit 4 HRs and had 6 doubles.
Austin Wells hitting the bat consistently will be a great add-on to his premier defense. Wells was a two-time all-star in the minors thanks to his defensive play and high on-base percentage. He is guaranteed to be the starting catcher for opening day in Houston when the Yankees take on the Astros on March 28th. Let's hope his offensive power this spring doesn't slow down and carries into the season.
Jose Trevino is the Yankees' backup catcher. He has been with the Yankees for two full years after previously playing for the Rangers. Trevino is primarily known for his defense behind the plate, as he is not the best batter in the majors. His career batting average is .241, and his average on-base percentage is only .257. Those numbers are low, even for a catcher. Sadly, the low average doesn't even get compensated with home runs, as his season high in HRs is only 11 in 2022. He does have significantly more experience behind the plate in the majors than Austin Wells, but he is coming off several injuries from last year and got a late start to spring training as he has only played in one game so far this spring. Trevino will be a solid backup in 2024, allowing the Yankees to give Austin Wells a full season as the starting catcher.
Let's hope Austin Wells keeps up the outstanding performance the rest of spring and hopefully into the season.