Yankees pick Arizona catcher Austin Wells in first round

The Yankees picked power-hitting catcher Austin Wells out of the University of Arizona Wednesday night in the first round of the MLB amateur draft. The 20-year old was considered the best left-handed hitter remaining in the draft when the Yankees picked at No. 28.

The Bombers were familiar with Wells, having picked him in the 35th round of the 2018 draft out of high school. He chose to go to Arizona instead, but was able to come out for the draft after his sophomore season since he will turn 21 within 45 days of the draft.

The 6-foot-2 Wells was picked for his bat. He slashed .308/.389/.526 in the Cape Cod League last summer using a wood bat. He had just 15 games with the Wildcats this season before the coronavirus shut down baseball across the nation. He continued to crush in that limited time, hitting .375/.527/.589.

Wells was considered a solid bat across the board, but he lasted in the draft so long because there is debate about his defense. Though the same size as current Yankees’ catcher Gary Sanchez, there are scouts who believe he will not be able to stick at catcher.

The pick was something of a surprise with the Yankees expected to once again go with a college pitcher with the first of their three picks in the draft.

But it was an unusual draft from the beginning.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred opened the coronavirus-shortened, fiveround draft by addressing the current state of the game and the nation. Opening with comments about the systemic racism that is sparking protests across the nation, several of the GMs stood with signs that said “Black Lives Matter, United for Change,” in the offices that they were socially distancing and making their picks.

There is only one black general manager in MLB.

The draft also took a moment to remember George Floyd, the unarmed black man killed at the hands of the Minneapolis police that sparked protest movements across the nation, at 8:46 p.m., the amount of time that former officer Derek Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck.

Manfred also said before the draft began that there would “100%” be baseball this year amidst reports that the league was preparing a counteroffer to the union’s latest proposal — 89 games with expanded playoffs. Many, however, believe that the owners will simply run out the clock on the negotiations until all that can be salvaged of the pandemicshortened 2020 season is the 50 games that Manfred has threatened to implement under the agreement with the players made in March.

After that, however, the league turned to its future, which seems bright with power-hitting Spencer Turkelson being taken by the Tigers with the overall first pick. The draft was also short, with just five rounds this season as the owners try to save money amid expectations that the league will contract minor league baseball. Usually a 40-round prospect-palooza, this draft, which continues Thursday night, will have just 160 players total selected, compared to the 1,217 drafted last season. That is estimated to save teams $30 million.

The Yankees had just one pick Wednesday night, 28th, the second to last pick in the first round. With the limited draft, the Yankees have just two more picks when the draft continues on Thursday night.

WR Ja’Marr Chase, LSU * 6-1 200 Jr. Harvey, LA

WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama 6-1 175 Sr. Amite, LA

TE Kyle Pitts, Florida 6-6 239 Jr. Philadelphia, PA

OL Penei Sewell, Oregon * 6-6 325 Jr. Malaeimi, American Samoa

OL Cole Van Lanen, Wisconsin 6-5 312 Sr, Greenbay, WI

OL Samuel Cosmi, Texas 6-7 310 Jr. Humble, TX

OL Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma # 6-3 315 Jr. Shawnee, OK

OL Wyatt Davis, Ohio State # 6-4 313 Jr. Bellflower, CA

QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson 6-6 220 Jr. Cartersville, GA

RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State * 6-1 207 Soph. Sherwood Park, CA

RB Travis Etienne, Clemson % 5-10 200 Sr. Jennings, LA

PK Keith Duncan, Iowa # 5-10 180 Sr. Weddington, NC

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon 6-5 250 Soph. Los Angeles, CA

DL Gregory Rousseau, Miami Fla. 6-7 253 Soph. Coconut Creek, FL

DL Marvin Wilson, Florida State 6-5 310 Sr. Houston, TX

DL Jaylen Twyman, Pittsburgh # 6-2 290 Jr. Washington, DC

LB Micah Parsons, Penn State # 6-3 245 Jr. Harrisburg, PA

LB Hamilcar Rashed, Oregon State # 6-4 236 R-Sr. Phoenix, AZ

LB Carlton Martial, Troy 5-10 216 Jr. Mobile, AL

DB Shaun Jolly, Appalachian State 5-9 175 Jr. Stone Mountain, GA

DB Jevon Holland, Oregon 6-1 200 Jr. Pleasanton, CA

DB Elijah Molden, Washington 5-10 191 Sr. West Linn, OR

DB Derek Stingley, LSU # 6-1 190 So. Baton Rouge, LA

P Max Duffy, Kentucky * 6-1 186 Sr. Perth, Australia

KR Rondale Moore, Purdue 5-9 180 Jr. New Albany, IN

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

WR Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State 6-0 185 Sr. Fort Worth, TX

WR Rashod Bateman, Minnesota 6-2 210 Jr. Tifton, GA

TE Pat Freiermuth, Penn State 6-5 259 Jr. Merrimac, MA

OL Alex Leatherwood, Alabama 6-6 310 Sr. Pensacola, FL

OL Walker Little, Stanford 6-7 320 Sr. Houston, TX

OL Trey Smith, Tennessee 6-6 335 Sr. Jackson, TN

OL Rashawn Slater, Northwestern 6-4 315 Sr. Sugar Land, TX

OL Nolan Laufenberg, Air Force 6-3 295 Jr. Castle Rock, CO

QB Justin Fields, Ohio State # 6-3 225 Jr. Kennesaw, GA

RB Jaret Patterson, Buffalo 5-9 195 Jr. Glendale, MD

RB Najee Harris, Alabama 6-2 230 Sr. Antioch, CA

PK Matt Trickett, Kent State 6-0 191 Jr. Cleveland, OH

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL Chris Rumph II, Duke 6-3 225 Jr. Gainesville, FL

DL Levi Onwuzurike, Washington 6-3 288 Sr. Allen, TX

DL Carlos Basham, Wake Forest 6-5 275 Sr. Roanoke, VA

DL Quincy Roche, Miami Fla. 6-4 235 Sr. Randallstown, MD

LB Nick Bolton, Missouri 6-0 232 Jr. Frisco, TX

LB Dylan Moses, Alabama 6-3 235 Jr. Alexandria, LA

LB Paddy Fisher, Northwestern 6-4 246 Sr. Katy, TX

DB Paulson Adebo, Stanford 6-1 192 Sr. Mansfield, TX

DB Patrick Surtain II, Alabama 6-2 203 Jr. Plantation, FL

DB Trevon Moehrig, TCU 6-2 208 Jr. Spring Branch, TX

DB Shaun Wade, Ohio State 6-1 195 Jr. Jacksonville, FL

P Trenton Gill, North Carolina State 6-4 217 Jr. Hillsborough, NC

KR Jaylen Waddle, Alabama # 5-10 182 Jr. Houston, TX

* — 2019 Walter Camp First Team All-American

# — 2019 Walter Camp Second Team All-American

% — 2018 and 2019 Walter Camp Second Team AllAmerican