Breakout Rookie Deemed Yankees' Most 'Indispensable Under-The-Radar' Player

One underrated New York Yankees standout received his much-deserved flowers on Tuesday.

Sep 9, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) tosses his bat after hitting a three run home run against the Kansas City Royals during the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In the span of just a few months, New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells has cemented himself as a crucial component to the Yankees' future core.

The 25-year-old rookie and University of Arizona product has burst onto the scene this summer and became both a mainstay in the middle of New York's lineup and one of the league's most elite defensive catchers, according to Baseball Savant.

But because there are so many superstars on the Yankees, it's easy for Wells to get lost in the shuffle. This is why it was great to see New York's rookie backstop get his flowers in a September 17 article from The Athletic's Jim Bowden, which listed "each MLB playoff contender’s most indispensable ‘under-the-radar’ player".

"Austin Wells got off to a slow start to the season, batting .196 in March/April and .213 in May," Bowden wrote. "However, he kept improving over the next three months, batting .238 in June, .277 in July and .325 in August. (His average has dipped in September.) He went from hitting at the bottom of the Yankees’ lineup to the middle of the order in the cleanup spot, behind Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. After hitting only three home runs through June, Wells’ power arrived in July and August when he belted nine of his 13 homers on the season."

Wells has a batting average of .287 with a .838 OPS, 6 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 13 runs scored in 33 games when batting cleanup for the Yankees this season, per StatMuse.

"The rookie quickly became the Yankees’ third-best position player after Judge and Soto," Bowden continued. "He’s had an even greater impact on defense, ranking in the 95th percentile in fielding run value among all major-league catchers, according to Statcast. He is in the 97th percentile in pitch framing and also has garnered above-average marks in blocking and caught stealing rate. Wells is no longer under the radar, but he’s certainly become indispensable for the Yankees."

Not only is Wells' stability behind the dish going to be integral for New York this postseason, but all indications are that he'll be guiding the Yankees' pitching staff for years to come.