The Notre Dame Fighting Irish found themselves in a spot they hadn’t seen all season, trailing by multiple scores. Of course, it was in a College Football Playoff semifinal, but did they flinch? Absolutely not; the No. 7 seed Fighting Irish flipped the script, erasing a 10-point deficit to rally past the No. 6 seed Penn State Nittany Lions for a thrilling 27-24 win in the Orange Bowl. 

Then, the time arrived; Penn State was riding high with only 33 seconds remaining, but Christian Gray had other ideas and intercepted the ball at the Penn State 42-yard line. With seven seconds remaining, Mitch Jeter made a crucial 41-yard field goal to complete the victory and advance Notre Dame to the national title. And guess who was there to witness it all? None other than Yanks star Austin Wells. 

Wells cheering for others this offseason 

Austin Wells may not be the first name that pops up when thinking of the New York Yankees, but he isn’t sitting idle this offseason. Rather, the Yankees’ catcher has been utilizing his leisure time and displaying his fan side. Wells was recently seen at the College Football Playoff semifinal, where he appeared to be having a great time. Talkin’ Yanks shared a video of Wells celebrating a touchdown with a friend in the stands, soaking up the exciting college football environment.

With a .239/.326/.413 batting line over 394 plate appearances, Austin has shown the kind of maturity and patience at the plate that belies his age. He may not be raking at a Judge-like pace, but Wells has been a steady presence, hitting for power and working counts to set up scoring opportunities. But here’s where Austin Wells really shines, and his value gets a little overlooked: defense.

Austin’s 2.9 rWAR might not tell the full story because it doesn’t fully capture just how good he is behind the dish. Baseball Prospectus has even ranked the 25-year-old as the sixth-most valuable defensive player in MLB this year, regardless of position. 

Austin Wells’ journey with the Yankees 

A catcher chosen 28th overall in the 2020 amateur draft, Wells had accepted a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. A $2.5 million signing bonus was also mentioned. Before entering the professional ranks, Austin, who was 21 at the time, had a stellar collegiate career at the University of Arizona. In just 15 games during a season cut short by the coronavirus epidemic, he hit .375 with two home runs and 14 RBI. 

The Arizona native kept getting better over the next two seasons, hitting .357 in 71 games with seven home runs and 74 RBI. The Yankees spent almost $2.5 million signing bonus pool associated with Wells’ draft placement to acquire the gifted catcher. After all, Austin Wells showed promise as a future star with his performance in college, particularly during such a short and uncertain season. The catcher was considered a bright addition to the Yankees’ future behind the plate because of his impressive college stats and great track record. 

Given his consistent advancement through the Yankees organization, Austin is well-known among the team’s members. In 2018, the Bombers selected Wells from Bishop Gorman High School with a 35th-round pick (1,057th overall), a move that would later pay off handsomely. Shortly after concluding the 2020 Draft, Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees’ Vice President of Domestic Amateur Scouting, stated, “We were excited to get Wells.” 

What’s your take on Austin Wells’ fanboy moment? Share with us in the comments below.