Yanks' Wells totals 3 hits, 4 RBIs for Saguaros

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Austin Wells has always been able to hit.

The 2019 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and Cape Cod League Prospect of the Year had one of the best offensive profiles in the 2020 Draft and went 28th overall to the Yankees. Wells proceeded to slash .264/.390/.416 with 16 homers and 76 RBIs over 103 games in his first professional season.

The Yankees then sent their No. 6 prospect to the Arizona Fall League, where he’s hitting .305 through 16 games after collecting a trio of hits on Tuesday.

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“I was able to get into my approach and stay short against some good pitching,” Wells said after Surprise’s 9-7 win over Scottsdale at Surprise Stadium. “Got some balls in some good counts that I was able to hit hard.”

Using his quick left-handed swing, Wells has shown an ability to impact the baseball throughout his stint in the AFL and did so again Tuesday, posting exit velocities of 108 and 109 mph on a pair of doubles.

After popping up in his first at-bat, Wells brought home a run with a double to center in the third and then drove home two more with a double to right in the fifth. The Arizona product capped his 3-for-4, four-RBI day with a run-scoring single to center in the sixth.

Wells has hits in five of his past six games and the four RBIs matched his AFL season high.

The numbers may suggest Wells is easily finding success at the plate, but he’s had to make adjustments along the way. Having worked his way from Low-A to the AFL in just one season, Wells has noticed the increase in competition and credits that for helping him elevate his game.

“Pitchers are able to throw their stuff better in the zone,” Wells said. “You can’t give up on any of their pitches. You have to be ready for fastball, curveball, slider, changeup, whatever they throw at any time in any count. Just that adjustability part of it is what I came here to work on and what I’ve been working on.”

Wells has also been honing his defense as he’s always been viewed as an offensive-minded catcher. The backstop still needs time developing behind the plate, but he’s come a long way.

“I feel like it’s been an exponential change from Spring Training until now,” Wells said. “Made great progress behind the plate -- better throws, better blocking, better receiving.”

Overall, Wells’ first professional season has been a success. He has improved on both sides of the plate and feels he’s ready for a big 2022 campaign.

“Just take the progress I’ve made with catching and with the bat and taking it into Spring Training next year is what I came here to do and what I feel I’ve done pretty well,” Wells said.

Ezequiel Duran (TEX 7) hit a solo homer for Surprise, his third of the AFL season, and Marco Luciano went deep for Scottsdale.

Luciano, the No. 5 overall prospect, extended his hitting streak to six games with a massive two-run homer in the second. The 20-year-old, the youngest prospect in the AFL, hammered a 3-1 pitch 411 feet out to left. The homer had an exit velocity of 106 mph.