Yankees Top Prospect Out 6-8 Weeks After Fracturing Ribs

Another injury to a New York Yankees' catcher.

Yankees' catching prospect Austin Wells has been diagnosed with a fractured 12th rib, according to Marly Rivera of ESPN.com. This comes after he was initially shut down with a bone bruise to the right side of his ribs during the first week of camp.

Austin Wells has a fracture of his 12th rib, expects to be out somewhere around 6-8 weeks. Tough break for Yankees catching prospect.
— Greg Joyce (@GJoyce9) March 1, 2023

Wells is expected to be held out of baseball activities for the next 7-to-10 days before the Yankees reassess his injury. Fractured ribs typically require a 6-to-8-week healing timeframe, which means even if Wells is able to resume activities at some point next week, he may not be ready to start the minor-league season.

Despite concerns about his ability to catch at the big-league level, Wells' promising bat makes him an intriguing prospect for the Yankees.

He finished the 2022 season in the minors, hitting .277/.385/.512 with 20 home runs, 65 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and 60 runs scored across 92 games and three levels.

He is the Yankees' fourth-ranked prospect. Photo Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports