Yankees' Faith in Austin Wells Is Misguided With Trade Deadline Around the Corner

The Yankees have been giving Austin Wells high praise, but it's fair to be skeptical.

Yankees fans have fair reason to doubt the club's ongoing belief in Austin Wells. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Yankees' Austin Wells is one of the worst everyday hitters in baseball.

As it stands, Wells' 42 wRC+ is the fourth worst in baseball, behind fellow catchers Edgar Quero and Patrick Bailey. His defense has been solid as far as the defensive metrics go, but it's a far cry from what was expected of him. The catcher that the organization drafted in both 2018 and 2020 is now the Bombers' version of 2022 Martín Maldonado.

Funny enough, if you ask his coaches what they think of Wells, they believe the beleaguered catcher is right on the cusp of taking off. Start with hitting coach James Rowson.

"Austin absolutely can hit," Rowson told NJ.com's Randy Miller. "I'm confident as ever in him. We'll keep it at that."

Yankees hitting coach James Rowson is confident in Austin Wells's outlook, but that doesn't mean he should be. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Yankees manager Aaron Boone has also given Wells high praise despite this season-long funk, which feels like it has no end in sight.

"I feel like he's been in position a lot better on a lot more pitches, whether it's a take, whether it's foul ball, whether it's an out," Boone said, parroting Rowson's sentiments. "I feel like he's getting in a stronger position. If he does that, the results will follow."

Blind confidence doesn't mean that the Yankees should accept the status quo, though.

Yankees can't stop themselves from making necessary Austin Wells upgrade

If there's one thing that the Yankees have shown this year, if there are options to improve a position from within the organization, they will oust a player from their starting job. Just look at how the year started for Ryan McMahon and Anthony Volpe. McMahon lost reps to Amed Rosario, and Volpe was optioned to Triple-A after his rehab assignment.

They even showed this with another former top catching prospect in Gary Sanchez. Kyle Higashioka took his job, and Sanchez didn't even start in the Wild Card game in 2021, which would end up being his last in pinstripes.

History has shown that the Yankees aren't afraid to shake things up when things aren't working as planned. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The Yankees are pretty clear when they're done with a player, but that's if they have options. As it stands, there are no options from within the organization, forcing them to look outside for help. Even then, something has to give, and no one should have faith in Wells's ongoing campaign.

Including the Red Sox series, Wells is slashing .157/.258/.241 with four home runs, 10 RBIs, 23 walks and a 26.3% strikeout rate in 55 games (166 at-bats). That just isn't going to cut it for a starting catcher, and New York can't blindly believe that's an acceptable performance.

Now it begs the question, what would the Yankees do if there were options at catcher?

There are none on the roster, even with the small signs of promise that Ali Sánchez has shown. Still, through the media, it seems like there is some insight into what they're thinking, and it doesn't feel like Wells is long for his job if the reports are true.

Ryan Jeffers is still Yankees' best catcher solution

There have been talks about adding a right-handed catcher since last winter, and now, the name that has specifically come up is Ryan Jeffers. The New York Post's Joel Sherman is one reporter who has been on his link to the Bronx, stating that Jeffers is the "player who should most intrigue the Yankees—and definitely be available because he is in his walk year."

Ryan Jeffers is often discussed as the Yankees' top target to help solve their catcher problem. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Over the last few years, when Volpe has been scuffling at short, if one were to ask the Yankees whether they planned to move on from him, the answer would be a resounding no. There weren't even reports like the one linking the Yankees to Jeffers.

The big issue with Jeffers is health, and a hamate fracture is no joke, but the Yankees could see him as a way to upgrade a position for cheap since that risk is now attached.

Being out since last May has probably affected the Jeffers market, but it's hard to see that playing a role in the Yankees' pursuit of him. He is a rental after all. Plus, he's batting .295 with a .949 OPS, seven HRs and 26 RBIs across 37 games (122 ABs), showing just how much of an upgrade he'd be over Wells.

Usually, the guy whose name comes up finds his way onto the Yankees, or, at a minimum, they take a big swing at landing them. Case in point with Sonny Gray in 2017, Joey Gallo in 2021, and, more recently, David Bednar and Ryan McMahon. The Yankees had their eyes on last season's deadline acquisition for years.

Jeffers could be the next white whale the organization lands. The one difference between him and the aforementioned names is that Jeffers actually has ties to the Yankees through Tanner Swanson. Unless a team swoops in, it feels like a formality that Jeffers will be in pinstripes.

As for Austin Wells, his days could be numbered.