Not everyone gets to make their Major League Baseball debut with a close friend by their side. That exception proves the point for Austin Wells. When he joined the New York Yankees as a regular, he wasn’t alone. He had the support of Anthony Volpe. Anthony had already solidified himself as a full-time major leaguer a year before and was a good friend of Wells. So Wells didn’t have to be all alone while settling for the Yanks. Everything worked out for both of them.

Everyone experienced the duo rock it during Game 4 of the World Series. The New York Yankees were staring out at an elimination with the Dodgers. But Volpe and Wells both kept that fight going. Volpe had a couple of key hits and a go-ahead grand slam, and Wells, who had been rather struggling, went 2-3 with a home run, a double, a walk, and two runs scored. How did a change come in Wells? Somewhere Volpe seems to have a part on it.

Well, recently Austin Wells was on Yes Network, and he mentioned how Volpe’s influence and just being there helped him. That might have been one of the core reasons he eased into the New York Yankees system.

For Austin Wells, it made all the difference. “Having Anthony, someone I went up in the system with, being my best friend on the team… it helps so much,” Wells mentioned. Clearly, he is not talking about just baseball but the emotional support too. He explained how the two would talk and share their thoughts after every game. It might not seem like a big deal, but constant connection and feedback do help.

In fact, after Game 4 of WS, SNY interviewed Anthony Volpe, and he also echoed the same sentiment: “It’s not really a friendship anymore; it’s more of a brotherhood. We’ve been through it all together. The highest of highs, and at some points, the lowest of lows. He’s my first call, my last call. Like I said, it’s more than a friendship; it’s a brotherhood.” Both the friends are even pretty close with each other’s families. Beautiful, ain’t it?

But now coming back to the games, there’s still a big question mark over the Yankees’ catching depth. Who is going to back up Wells?

The New York Yankees’ backup catcher dilemma is on

As the off-season is winding down, most free agents have found their respective homes. And even the New York Yankees have a solid roster. But there is still one spot where there remains uncertainty – backup catcher. Austin Wells has now cemented his place as a starter, and so the team is left to address the depth behind him.

The New York Yankees have already made moves to add to the catching depth by trading for Agustin Ramirez as part of the Jazz Chisolm Jr. deal. And also by getting Carlos Narvaez in exchange for prospect Elmer Rodriguez Crux. They also sent Jose Trevino to the Reds and got back Fernando Cruz and catcher Alex Jackson. This leaves the backup catcher situation in flux. Although Jackson really is the ONLY player on the depth chart below Wells, who has enough MLB experience.

The Yankees catching depth might not be a headline issue, but Wells needs a reliable backup. Last season, his workload caught up to him, so bringing in the much-needed support could prevent a similar dip in performance. And right now, the Yankees do have some time to make other key moves.

What do you think the Yankees would do? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.