Predicating a Rookie of the Year award in January is a bit like flying blind, even for MLB executives who have expertise to figure those things out.
That’s who MLB.com turned to on Monday when they asked them to vote on who they believed would win the Rookie of the Year award in each league.
The majority of the executives didn’t predict that a New York Yankees player would win the award. But the fact that catcher Austin Wells got some votes indicates that executives expect positive things from him in 2024.
First, MLB executives focused on two players as the leading contenders for the AL award — Texas Rangers outfielder Evan Carter, who got 36% of the vote and baseball’s No. 1 prospect, Baltimore shortstop Jackson Holliday, with 30%.
After that, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero received 13% and another Rangers prospect — Evan Langford — got 11%.
Wells was among a group of players that also received votes including Baltimore outfielder Heston Kjerstad, Minnesota shortstop Brooks Lee and Tampa Bay infielder Curtis Mead.
The Yankees started the clock on Wells, their top catching prospect, last year when they called him up on Sept. 1. He batted .229 in 19 games with four home runs and 13 RBI.
The Yankees have five catchers on their 40-man roster but Wells figures to get first crack at being part of a tandem with returning starter Jose Trevino. An opportunity opened up this offseason as the Yankees dealt Kyle Higashioka as part of the package to acquire slugger Juan Soto.
If Wells is able to win a spot alongside Trevino, it gives him a shot to make good on the faith that at least a few executives have put him this season.
More must-reads: