Yankees No. 3 Prospect C Austin Wells Returns To Double-A Somerset

Bridgewater, New Jersey – The New York Yankees have returned C Austin Wells from a rehab assignment with the Single-A Tampa Tarpons to the Double-A Somerset Patriots and reinstated him from the team’s 7-day injured list. He is currently ranked as the Yankees No. 3 prospect by MLB Pipeline.

During Somerset’s 2022 Eastern League Championship season, Wells slashed .261/.360/.479 with 55 hits, eight doubles, 12 home runs and 43 RBI. From the point Wells joined the Patriots on July 5 through the end of the season (playoffs included), he led all Eastern League batters with 51 RBI. In total, Wells led the Patriots in the following offensive categories from the time he joined the team through the end of the regular season: AVG (.261), HR (12), RBI (43), SLG (.479), OPS (.839), H (55) and TB (101).

He continued to impress in the postseason with a .318/.403/.470 slash line with five runs, seven hits, two doubles, a home run and eight RBI. During the postseason Wells ranked second on the Patriots in RBI, XBH (3), TB (12) and H (7), trailing only Jasson Dominguez in each category. Wells caught the championship-clinching combined no-hitter by RHP Randy Vasquez and RHP Carson Coleman in the deciding Game Three.

THE SOMERSET PATRIOTS ARE 2022 EASTERN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS BY WAY OF A NO-HITTER 15-0 SHUTOUT!!!🏆 pic.twitter.com/jjwe2wf0my

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) September 29, 2022

Last season, he combined with High-A Hudson Valley, Single-A Tampa and Double-A Somerset to hit .277/.385/.512 (93-for-336) with 60 runs, 17 doubles, 1 triple, 20 home runs, 65 RBI, 56 walks and 16 stolen bases in 92 games. Among all Yankees farmhands in 2022, Wells ranked second in slugging percentage, was tied for second in RBI, tied for third in homers, and ranked fifth in OPS (.897). Following the season, the catcher was tabbed by Baseball America as the No. 5 prospect in the Yankees organization and the No. 94 overall prospect in baseball. Additionally, the publication labeled him as the “Best Power Hitter” among Yankees farmhands. He was also named an Organization All-Star by MiLB.com.

Wells, 23, has hit .270 (194-for-718) with 142 runs, 40 doubles, six triples, 36 home runs, 141RBI, 127 walks and 32 stolen bases in 195 games over two minor league seasons in the Yankees organization (2021-22).

The Las Vegas, Nevada native was selected by the Yankees in the first round (28th overall) of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Arizona.

About the Somerset Patriots

The Somerset Patriots are the New York Yankees Double-A Affiliate and develop today’s top minor league talent into the pinstriped superstars of tomorrow for MLB’s winningest team. The Patriots are the reigning Eastern League Champions and play their home games at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, NJ, where fans of all ages and levels of baseball fandom get to enjoy the unique experience that is minor league baseball. To learn more, visit: somersetpatriots.com.