The New York Yankees have traded away catchers Carlos Narváez, Agustín Ramírez, and Rafael Flores in the past couple of seasons. Now they might need one of them back. With Austin Wells continuing to struggle at the plate, the Yankees are finding themselves in a dangerous position.
New York is stuck with a starting catcher whose bat doesn’t justify the innings, and without much in the way of proven depth behind him. After gutting the position via trade, the team is left hoping Wells figures things out soon or that Ben Rice forces the issue.
Wells, 25, entered 2025 as a potential breakout candidate. Instead, he’s slashing .209/.268/.419 with a .687 OPS. And while his 15 home runs are respectable, the supporting metrics expose a bigger problem. Wells has a 27.3% whiff rate and a chase rate in the bottom third of the league. His 6.6% walk rate is below average, and his 23.8% strikeout rate continues to trend upward.
From a Statcast perspective, Wells’ numbers are a study in contradiction. On one hand, he ranks in the 67th percentile in average exit velocity (90.8 mph) and ranks in the 78th percentile in max EV (111.9 mph). His hard-hit rate is a robust 47.3%, placing him above league average. However, that power is undermined by poor swing decisions, minimal plate discipline, and inconsistent contact.
His expected batting average (.219) and expected slugging (.408) are both below MLB averages. And when pitchers stay away from fastballs, Wells struggles even more. He’s hitting just .164 off offspeed pitches and .135 against breaking balls in 2025. Against sweepers specifically, he’s 2-for-42 with a staggering .048 batting average and a .190 slugging percentage.
Yankees Already Let Productive Catchers Go
What makes Wells’ struggles harder to stomach is who the Yankees gave up. Carlos Narváez, now with the Red Sox, is slashing .252/.323/.415 with a .738 OPS and a 105 OPS+. He’s walking more than Wells, striking out less, and contributing quality at-bats from the bottom of Boston’s lineup.
Agustín Ramírez, who landed in Miami, is hitting .241/.286/.465 with 17 home runs and a .751 OPS. His power has translated to the big leagues faster than expected. Even Rafael Flores, recently dealt to the Pirates, had an .841 OPS in Double-A before the trade and has continued to flash patience and pop since arriving in Indianapolis.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are left wondering whether Wells can be anything more than a low-OBP slugger with framing skills.
The Clock Is Ticking
Wells does offer value with the glove. He ranks in the 96th percentile for pitch framing and remains one of the league’s better defensive backstops in terms of pop time and receiving. That keeps him playable. But framing can’t cover for a sub-.300 on-base percentage forever—especially not on a team with postseason aspirations.
Ben Rice remains the obvious alternative. He boasts a .791 OPS with 16 home runs and superior plate discipline. His defense is still a work in progress, but even average glove work combined with a more consistent bat would be a game-changer at the position.
Catcher has become a position where offense is often a bonus, but for the Yankees, it’s becoming a necessity. Wells’ bat is trending in the wrong direction while Rice is surging. And after trading away every backup plan they had, New York may have no choice but to make a switch.
The Yankees cleared the depth chart. Now they need to clear their vision.
Yankees Facing Tough Choice at Catcher—And No Safety Net Left