Yankees choose Arizona catcher Austin Wells in first round of MLB Draft
In this April 9, 2019, file photo, Arizona first baseman Austin Wells catches a throw during the team's NCAA college baseball game against Grand Canyon in Phoenix. The New York Yankees selected Wells in the first round of the baseball draft Wednesday, June 10, 2020. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
The Yankees have made packing their minor league system with power arms a priority over the last decade.
The trend continued last year when 25 of their 41 selections were pitchers, which followed 2018 when 24 of their 40 picks were pitchers, though in neither year did the Yankees take one in the first round.
And the Yankees did not go with a pitcher in the first round of the 2020 Major League Draft, taking Austin Wells, a 20-year-old catcher out of the University of Arizona, late Wednesday night with the 28th overall pick.
The left-handed hitting Wells, whom amateur scouts rated as one of the top slugging prospects in the draft but not especially strong on defense, was slashing .375/.527/.589 in 15 games this season before the college season was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019 Wells, whom the Yankees took in the 35th round in the 2018 draft out of high school but were unable to sign as he honored his commitment to Arizona, slashed .353/.462/.552 in 56 games, earning PAC-12 Freshman of the Year honors. Some scouts project Wells as a corner outfielder or first baseman in the majors.
“We are very happy to get Austin Wells today,” Yankees Vice President of Domestic Amateur Scouting, Damon Oppenheimer said. “We thought he was one of the top hit and power combinations in the draft. We love his desire and makeup, along with his athleticism. We have known him for years and seen him progress quite a bit behind the plate to allow us to believe he can be an impact guy.”
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s draft, as a cost-cutting measure by owners, is just five rounds compared to the usual 40 rounds. Rounds 2-5 are Thursday. The Yankees have two more picks — No. 99 and No. 129 (they surrendered picks in the second and fifth rounds as a result of signing free-agent Gerrit Cole).
As part of an agreement reached with the Players Association, teams can sign an unlimited number of undrafted players at a maximum of $20,000 per player after the five rounds. The Yankees are expected to be among the more active teams in that area post-draft.
Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.
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