Austin Wells’ improved plate discipline deserves better results

Apr 11, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells entered Tuesday’s series opener against the Red Sox with a disappointing .180/.344/.260 line, one home run, two RBI, and a 78 wRC+. For a player who posted a 107 wRC+ in 2024 and a 94 mark last year, it’s certainly a step back.

By now, we all know that Wells is a solid defender and an elite framer, and that’s still the case in 2026. His ceiling as a player, however, will be closely tied to his offensive ability, and right now, his output has been nothing to write home about. It’s still April, though, and there’s some light at the end of the tunnel if we look under the hood.

Wells hasn’t overhauled his swing mechanics or made any huge changes to his timing mechanism. His .356 xwOBA on contact is very close to last year’s .364, in fact. What’s notable so far is that he seems much more willing to take pitches and be more patient overall.

At 45 percent, he is swinging less than ever, and certainly less often than last year’s 50.7 percent mark. He is also chasing a lot less too, with his 24.1 percent rate being considerably lower than 2025’s 29.2 percent. Of course, this has led to some missed opportunities at the plate, as his 65 percent meatball swing rate is also way lower than last year’s 82.7 percent mark, but it has also resulted in an incredible 20.3 percent walk rate that ranks him in the 97th percentile before Tuesday’s games.

The increasingly patient approach has Wells’ expected wOBA, or xwOBA, at .350, in the 68th percentile. That’s much better than his .283 wOBA, so he has deserved better outcomes if we judge by plate discipline and quality of contact.

That .350 xwOBA would be his best mark outside of his brief 19-game cameo as a rookie in 2023: