Austin Wells DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on Tuesday that catcher Austin Wells will hit leadoff on Opening Day on Thursday against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers and right-hander Freddy Peralta. Wells has been hitting leadoff against right-handers in Grapefruit League play this spring and has been swinging a hot bat, going 16-for-43 (.372) with six home runs, two doubles, 12 RBI and 11 runs scored in 15 spring games. The 25-year-old former first-rounder (28th overall) in 2020 out of the University of Arizona will surely be hitting lower in the batting order against lefties, but opening the year as the team's leadoff hitter is surely a boost to his fantasy value in 2025. In his first full season in the Bronx in 2024, Wells slashed .229/.322/.395 with a .718 OPS, 13 homers and 55 RBI in 115 games. Fantasy managers should consider him a low-end No. 1 starting catcher.

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells is behind the plate and batting fifth for Wednesday's Grapefruit League game versus the St. Louis Cardinals. The Yankees have held Wells back a bit in the early going in spring training to give him a little break after the team advanced to the World Series last fall. They were originally planning to hold him out until March, but the 25-year-old backstop will make his spring debut on Wednesday. After slashing .229/.322/.395 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI in the regular season last year, Wells is fully expected to see the majority of starts behind the plate in the Bronx in 2025. Wells' glove and plate discipline are his strengths, and while he can offer moderate power at the weak catching position, his struggles against lefties will likely keep his upside on the lower end. Consider him a low-end No. 1 catcher/high-end No. 2 option in fantasy.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that he told catcher Austin Wells that he will not play in Grapefruit League games until around March 1 due to his heavy workload last year. Wells has been taking live at-bats but hasn't been swinging so far in spring training at Yankees camp. The 25-year-old left-handed-hitting backstop played in 115 games for New York in 2024 in his first full big-league season and slashed .229/.322/.395 with a .718 OPS, 13 home runs, 55 RBI and 42 runs scored in 414 trips to the plate. He played in 129 total games when you account for playoff contests, so the Yankees want to try and keep him fresh as he enters the 2025 campaign as their primary catcher. Not only does Wells provide excellent defense behind the plate, but he broke out offensively last year as well thanks to improved plate discipline. Consider him a low-end No. 1 catcher/high-end No. 2 in fantasy in 2025.