Yankees Young Outfielder Likely Taking Step Back

If the New York Yankees get everything they want this offseason, there will likely be no need to play their young upstarts in the outfield until inevitable injuries bring them out for more time.

In an ideal case, however, where the Yankees land free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, they would have the opportunity to play him at first, moving presumed starting first baseman Ben Rice to the catcher position. At least according to The Athletic's Brendan Kuty, it's an unlikely scenario.

"If the Yankees sign Bellinger and Domínguez ends up the starting left fielder, it’ll be because dominoes fell elsewhere," Kuty wrote in a recent Yankees mailbag. "In that scenario, it would seem likely that the Yankees decided to put Ben Rice behind the plate full time and moved on from Austin Wells. That seems unlikely."

"Wells is still an above-average defensive catcher who the Yankees hope could still show the promise his bat displayed through the minors and at various points in 2024. The Yankees highly value defense behind the plate, and while Rice has held his own there, he might be better off long-term at first base."

The Dominguez and Wells Dominoes

Whether Wells' skills as a catcher will make up for his poor offense remains to be seen, and whether Dominguez can earn his place in the outfield as a defender remains to be seen as well. In 2025, Dominguez slashed .257/ .331/ .388 with a .719 OPS in 381 at-bats, but he is in the second percentile of defenders with a -10 Outs Above Average.