Opening Day is right around the corner, and one major American League contender just revealed a key component of their lineup this season.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that catcher Austin Wells would be the Bronx Bombers' leadoff hitter in the opener this Thursday against the Milwaukee Brewers. The news cam during the skipper's Tuesday appearance on the "Talkin' Yanks" podcast.
Wells will be the first catcher to serve as a leadoff hitter in Yankees' history.
Aaron Boone says that Austin Wells will be the Yankees leadoff hitter on Opening Day pic.twitter.com/GrAbvx2Pyv
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 25, 2025
“It’s always been, ‘You gotta have the speed guy first,'” Boone said. “I don’t know if that makes much sense. I want the guy that gets on base. The best hitting first.”
Yankees name Austin Wells Opening Day leadoff hitter
The 25-year-old is coming off an effective 2024 campaign that saw him finish third in American League Rookie of the Year voting. Across 115 games, he bashed 13 home runs, collected 55 RBIs, and earned a .722 OPS. From June 6th to September 10th, Wells hit .284 with an .887 OPS. Such a stretch showcased the youngster's potential as a dual purpose bat who can hit for both average and power.
According to Baseball Savant, last season also provided more granular reasons to believe that he could be a solid leadoff option. Wells ranked in the 89th percentile in walk rate and the 70th percentile in Chase%.
At the very least, the Arizona native showed that he would not be an "easy out." It is likely that the organization sees his versatility as his greatest asset. He mainly hit eighth and cleanup in last season's batting order, proving capable of setting the tone or cleaning up traffic on the base paths.
Even before this most recent announcement, it seemed as though Boone was hopeful that Wells could be a reliable table setter.
"I think he’s going to be a guy in his career that is going to get on base,” Boone said earlier this month. “That’s my No. 1 criteria for the leadoff spot. I’m not saying I’m going to land on him in the leadoff spot, either. It’s just something that I’m looking at.”
Wells enjoyed a fruitful spring. Through 15 games, he posted a .372 batting average and a .426 OBP. He primarily served as the leadoff man in Grapefruit League play, and will now be the first player to try to properly setup Aaron Judge and the rest of the Yankees' lineup in 2025.
"He's kind of taken to it," Boone said. "But we'll see. It'll remain in flux."
Even if Wells does not end up batting atop the lineup for the long haul, he will at least be given the chance to show he can handle the responsibility right out of the gate.