Austin Wells makes Yankees history as leadoff hitter

Austin Wells, the starting catcher for the New York Yankees, will hit leadoff on Opening Day against the Milwaukee Brewers. This is the first time in the team's history that a catcher will lead off in a regular-season game. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed this decision during an interview. Wells, who is 25 years old, is not a traditional leadoff hitter, but he is known for his good plate discipline and power. He performed well in spring training, batting .372 with six home runs. Wells has been leading off for most of the Yankees’ exhibition games and impressed with his strong performance. Last season, Wells became the Yankees' starting catcher, taking over the role from Jose Trevino. He finished third in the voting for AL Rookie of the Year. In 115 games, he had a batting average of .229 and hit 13 home runs. Boone mentioned that the leadoff spot might change throughout the season. Other players like Jasson Dominguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. could also take turns leading off. Against left-handed pitchers, the Yankees are considering using Paul Goldschmidt in the leadoff spot. The Yankees had several players in the leadoff spot last season due to struggles, but they have moved on from Gleyber Torres, who signed with the Detroit Tigers. This leaves Wells with the opportunity to make history as the first catcher to lead off for the Yankees.