Austin Wells didn’t spend a ton of time in Tucson with the Arizona Wildcats, but he made the most of it.
He will bring a big bat and a refined catching game behind the plate to the New York Yankee system after the Bronx Bombers selected him with the No. 28 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.
The catcher hit .353 with 73 runs scored, 15 doubles seen triples and 60 RBI on his way to the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. He kept that momentum going last summer in the Cape Cod League, where he earned the Outstanding Pro Prospect Award. He hit .308 with 23 runs scored, 13 doubles and 26 RBI.
In his short 2020 season, he went 21/56 and posted a .527 on-base percentage in 15 games.
The Grand Canyon State has had its proverbial fingerprints all over this draft.
Arizona State’s Spencer Torkelson was selected No. 1 overall by the Detroit Tigers. Tucson native Nick Gonzales parlayed strong offensive numbers at new Mexico State and the Cape Cod League into the No. 7 pick by the Pirates. Mountain Pointe shortstop Carson Tucker is headed to Cleveland after the Indians picked him with the No. 23 pick. Now, Wells is headed to New York.
