TAMPA — Austin Wells has been taking at-bats since spring coaching started, however he hasn’t swung throughout dwell batting follow.
Slightly, the Yankees catcher has simply been standing within the batter’s field monitoring pitches as they cross him by. Wells says he’s wholesome, however in want of time earlier than displaying off his left-handed minimize.
“I’m just not ready yet,” Wells mentioned Sunday. “I was hitting higher speed stuff [off a machine] toward the end of this week. Just preparing for the games probably the week after they start.
“Just taking it slow.”
On Monday, Aaron Boone confirmed that Wells gained’t play in exhibition video games till March 1, “give or take.” Spring contests start on Feb. 21 when the Yankees host the Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Subject.
“It’s just how much [he] played down the stretch and having never been down the stretch,” Boone mentioned, including that the Yankees had a brief offseason after making it to the World Sequence. “He’s in a great spot, and he’s doing everything he needs to be ready. I’ve told him I want to slow-play it a little bit, so let’s move accordingly.”
Wells performed in 115 video games and logged 872.1 innings behind the plate as a rookie final 12 months. It was an all-around profitable 12 months for the 25-year-old, as he established himself as a trusted receiver and elite framer whereas additionally taking maintain of the cleanup spot within the Bombers’ order. Wells totaled 13 homers, 55 RBI and a .718 OPS earlier than ending third in Rookie of the 12 months voting, an award that batterymate Luis Gil gained.
However Wells slumped after his workload elevated following a summer time harm to Jose Trevino. He hit simply .111 in September earlier than batting .120 within the playoffs.
Boone famous that Wells was “a little banged up” on the finish of the season, as most catchers are. He additionally reasoned that some fatigue might have led to Wells slumping down the stretch and within the playoffs.
“I think he was sound, and I probably can’t name a catcher out there that isn’t a little fatigued at that point in the year,” the supervisor mentioned. “That said, hopefully going through all that will better equip him and better build him up to go the long haul this year.”
Wells, in the meantime, didn’t need to make any excuses for his efficiency.
“Definitely wasn’t happy with how it ended for me,” he mentioned. “But I don’t know any better to say that it was a fatigue thing or not. So I’m gonna go with no. I’m just gonna go with it was just part of the year, but I’m definitely feeling good and ready to roll.”
Wells additionally wasn’t certain if a hit-by-pitch to the wrist in early September hindered him.
The Yankees have loads of different catchers in camp as Wells takes it straightforward, however they lack expertise as they attempt to decide who their backup catcher might be. Non-roster invitee Alex Jackson is the one possibility with main league catching expertise, except you depend Ben Rice’s one inning of labor behind the plate final 12 months.
Rice and J.C. Escarra are each among the many different backup candidates, but it surely wouldn’t be shocking if the Yankees added exterior depth.
