The New York Yankees entered the 2025 season expecting Austin Wells to take a meaningful leap forward in his development.
The 25-year-old catcher was viewed as a potential breakout bat — someone who could anchor the bottom half of the lineup.
But instead of emerging as a key contributor, Wells has delivered a lukewarm offensive campaign that’s beginning to raise eyebrows.
Through early June, he’s hitting .216 with a .284 OBP and .432 slugging, producing a .716 OPS with nine home runs.
There’s some power there, but his overall consistency at the plate just hasn’t met the bar the Yankees were hoping for.
The underlying data paints a mixed picture
Despite the pedestrian stat line, Wells isn’t completely lost at the plate — in fact, his contact quality is well above average.
He ranks in the 76th percentile in average exit velocity and 80th in hard-hit rate, showing he’s squaring up the ball.
His bat speed also places him in the 78th percentile, meaning he’s capable of catching up to big league velocity.
Where he’s struggling most is in plate discipline, chasing pitches and failing to draw walks consistently enough to stay productive.
His on-base percentage has dipped sharply, a concerning sign for a player who once had leadoff potential in spring training.
The defensive side is keeping him afloat
Wells isn’t just a one-dimensional player — he’s quietly become one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.
He’s credited with five defensive framing runs, helping steal strikes and support his pitching staff in subtle but critical ways.
Behind the plate, he’s shown leadership and reliability, giving the Yankees a reason to stay patient with his offensive struggles.
But that patience could be tested soon, because there’s another catcher quietly forcing his way into the conversation.
And he might be too effective to ignore for much longer.
JC Escarra is making the most of limited chances
Backup catcher JC Escarra has seen just 52 at-bats this season, but his numbers suggest there’s untapped potential worth exploring.
He’s slashing .231/.339/.365 with a .704 OPS and one home run — solid production for a second-string backstop.
What sets Escarra apart is his elite plate discipline. He ranks among the league’s best in strikeout rate, walk rate, and chase rate.
Defensively, he’s also made his mark in limited reps, already compiling three framing runs in just 432 pitches caught.
For context, Wells has caught 1,362 pitches — three times the volume — but only leads Escarra by two framing runs.
Escarra’s efficiency could force the Yankees’ hand
When extrapolated over the same pitch volume, Escarra would lead all MLB catchers in framing runs — a staggering thought.
He also holds the best strike rate in the league at 51.2%, indicating an elite ability to turn borderline pitches into strikes.
With those metrics and a surprisingly stable bat, Escarra has given the Yankees a legitimate reason to increase his role.
The decision now looms: do they continue to ride out Wells’ development or shift more reps to the more productive Escarra?
Wells still has long-term upside, but Escarra’s efficiency is becoming harder to overlook as each game passes.
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