Austin Wells is a rising star in the New York Yankees organization who was selected 18th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft out of the University of Arizona. While still in the early stages of his professional career, Wells is already generating excitement from scouts and collectors alike. Let’s take a deeper look at Austin Wells baseball cards and examine what collectors can expect to see from one of the top catching prospects in baseball.
Wells made his professional debut in 2020 after signing with the Yankees for a reported $2.5 million signing bonus. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented him from playing in any actual games. His first baseball cards came in 2021 releases that featured prospects and draft picks from 2020. Some of the notable Austin Wells rookie cards include:
2021 Topps Chrome Draft Picks #DP17 – This is considered one of Wells’ top rookie cards as it features him in his Yankees uniform from his first photo shoot. The design matches the standard Topps Chrome base card look.
2021 Bowman Draft #BD61 – Another highly regarded rookie, this card showcases Wells in an action shot from his college days at Arizona. Bowman is known for featuring prospects early in their careers.
2021 Bowman Chrome #BCP61 – A parallel version of the Bowman Draft card on Chrome stock that is more scarce and holds additional value for collectors.
2021 Topps Pro Debut #PD55 – Part of Topps’ set highlighting newly drafted and signed players. Not quite the rookie card status of the Topps Chrome or Bowman issues but still a nice early Wells card.
While Wells missed the 2020 minor league season, he made his full season debut in 2021 playing for Low-A Tampa. He impressed right away by slashing .309/.443/.579 with 13 home runs in 73 games. His performance led to additional card releases throughout 2021 and 2022 featuring his first season stats:
2021 Topps Update #US355 – Highlights Wells’ stats and ranking as the #4 Yankees prospect at the time of issue.
2022 Topps Series 1 #347 – His first main Topps set base card showing him in a current Yankees uniform.
2022 Topps Opening Day #OD24 – A parallel issue of the base card in a photo from spring training.
2022 Topps Chrome #198 – Considered one of his top “hitting” cards to date with an action shot at the plate.
Wells continued to develop in 2022 playing the entire season with High-A Hudson Valley where he slashed .254/.368/.468 with 15 home runs over 104 games. His progress earned him promotions in prospect rankings and additional baseball card releases:
2022 Bowman Draft #BDW41 – Provides an updated prospect photo and stats from his breakout 2021 season.
2022 Topps Finest #FF62 – High-gloss parallel of the base card featuring his stats and a close-up head shot.
2023 Topps Series 1 #150 – His first card in the flagship set as now a top-10 Yankees prospect.
2023 Topps Opening Day #OD87 – Another parallel issue highlighting his prospect status.
Heading into 2023, Wells is poised to start the season in Double-A with Somerset. If he continues developing his all-around game, he could reach Triple-A by late in the season. His left-handed power bat and solid defense behind the plate make him an intriguing catching prospect. As Wells progresses up the Yankees system, collectors can expect to see more base cards, parallels, and prospect-themed issues over the next couple years. His early rookie cards have already gained value and interest level is high. With his talent and work ethic, Austin Wells has the potential to become one of the game’s top young catchers and generate strong demand for his baseball cards. Only time will tell how far his career rises, but collectors are keeping a close eye on this budding star in the Bronx.
