NEW YORK – Austin Wells said he never thought of himself as a leadoff hitter; the heart of the lineup had always felt like more of a natural fit, going back to his days in Little League. In fact, when the Yankees’ catcher was approached about the assignment this spring, he’d initially thought it was a joke.
It was only after a few beats that Wells realized manager Aaron Boone wasn’t kidding, citing Wells’ ability to get on base against right-handed pitching. Wells agreed to give it a try, and a few short weeks later, the Yankees may have found an unlikely fit at the top of the lineup.
“I didn’t really take it seriously,” said Wells, whose leadoff homer sparked the Yankees to a 4-2 Opening Day victory over the Brewers on Thursday at Yankee Stadium. “I thought maybe he was just messing with me, but then it just continued to happen and I’ve had success, so here we are.”
The Yanks won their fourth straight opener as Anthony Volpe also homered and Aaron Judge had a run-scoring double to support left-hander Carlos Rodón, who struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball. Devin Williams pitched around trouble in the ninth to record the save against his former club.
Thursday marked the beginning of the 123rd season in Yankees history, a span of more than 18,000 games, and never before had a catcher batted in the leadoff spot. Boone’s sign-off on Thursday’s lineup card alone would have been notable, but then Wells did exactly what he did in his first turn at the top this spring.
Slugging a 2-0 Freddy Peralta fastball over the right-field wall, the 25-year-old Wells juiced a sellout crowd of 46,208 in becoming the first catcher in MLB history to hit a leadoff homer on Opening Day, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Wells is also the first Yankee to hit a leadoff Opening Day homer.
“It’s kind of exciting, just getting to hit in front of Aaron Judge and trying to get on base for him,” said Wells, who finished 1-for-3 with a walk. “I think that’s helped me a little bit mindset-wise, just getting on base any way I can.”
Wells was the fifth catcher in the Modern Era (since 1901) to bat leadoff in an Opening Day lineup, according to Elias. The others were: Austin Nola (2022 Padres), Jason Kendall (2007 Athletics, 1999 and 2000 Pirates), Butch Wynegar (1977 Twins), and Roger Bresnahan (1906 Giants).
The homer was only the 21st leadoff blast by a catcher in any game in AL/NL history, and the first since the Royals' MJ Melendez did it on Sept. 28, 2022.
“To go out there and give us an early lead with that swing, we’ve seen it all spring,” Judge said of Wells, who paced the club with six Grapefruit League homers. “The guy came into camp ready to go in Spring Training and carried into today on both sides of the ball. He set the tone for the whole day for us.”
When the Yankees reported to camp in Tampa, Fla., Boone said he had “six or seven” choices in mind to fill a leadoff spot last filled by Gleyber Torres. Jazz Chisholm Jr. seemed like a more traditional fit, but his on-base percentage in the role wasn’t stellar, and Boone favors having Chisholm’s power in the heart of the lineup.
Wells hit leadoff for the first time on Feb. 28 against the Blue Jays, sparking the bottom of the first with a homer. Boone liked what he saw and kept Wells there.
“Why doesn’t it make sense, other than he’s a catcher and he’s not fast?” Boone said. “I think he’s going to hit for power, but I think he’s going to control the strike zone and get on base too. We don’t have that smack-you-in-the-face leadoff hitter right now. I think it makes a lot of sense up there.”
A first-round selection by the Yankees (28th overall) in the 2020 MLB Draft out of the University of Arizona, Wells was frequently peppered with questions about his future; many observers suggested he might be a better fit at first base or the outfield.
Wells pushed back, vowing to improve his defense and remain behind the plate. Even the club’s internal reports underestimated Wells; when the Yankees promoted him to the Majors in 2023, Boone said he was much better than advertised.
“The industry had real questions about him behind the plate, as did we,” Boone said. “It’s remarkable, really, to see where he is now as one of the game’s really good defensive catchers. It’s a testament to the work he has put in. It’s a testament to the coaches that have helped him along the way.”
It should come as little surprise, then, that Wells’ focus Thursday was hardly on his place in the record book. He much preferred discussing his partnership with Rodón, who showcased an improved pitch mix to keep the Brewers off balance.
That typifies who Wells has been since Day 1, Judge said.
“He’s just the ultimate team guy,” Judge said. “Even as a rookie, he fit right on this team. He’s having a good time, but he’s always been about the guy next to him. He’s one of the best catchers in the game, and he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”