As the New York Yankees enter a crucial offseason, manager Aaron Boone wants to see more from starting catcher Austin Wells.
Wells hit a career high 21 home runs in 2025, but finished the season with a mediocre.219 batting average and a poor strikeout to walk ratio.
"I think he's really good offensively," Boone told reporters at MLB's winter meetings in Orlando, Florida. "I think he can be a really good Major League hitter. But I think, as a credit to him, I expect more out of him."
The 26-year-old is an excellent pitch framer, but that part of his game could decline with Major League Baseball's plan to implement an automated ball-strike challenge system in 2026.
Who will be the Yankees' backup catcher?
As currently constructed, the Yankees' backup catcher is Ben Rice, who projects to be the starting first baseman.
Third-string catcher J.C. Escarra remains with the organization, but he is another left-handed bat who saw limited playing time last season.
Because of that, the Yankees could be in the market for a right-handed-hitting backstop who can play 50-70 games this upcoming season.
Free agent options include veterans Christian Vazquez, Danny Jansen, and Elias Diaz. Or, general manager Brian Cashman could seek a trade for a backup for Wells.
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