The surprising player who can make Yankees forget about Gleyber Torres

There's only one Kyle Schwarber, but the Phillies' burly leadoff hitter might've started a trend that will leak all the way to the Yankees in 2025.

For decades (centuries?), the quintessential leadoff man was thought of as the speediest burner possible. Single, steal second, advance to third on an out, score. Simple math. Eventually, though, people collectively realized (though, again, it took a while) that most speedsters were also the least consistent hitters on the team. What was the point of a "just wait 'til he gets on base!" guy who never got on base? What was the good of starting most games with an out?

These days, low-OBP speed demons are mostly relegated to the No. 9 spot, replaced atop the order by on-base artists with significant power. A team's best hitter will usually hit second. If we know the guy in front of him has a strong chance of drilling a double or taking a walk, that can set up more two-run bombs and big innings (and the leadoff home run doesn't hurt, either).

Speed/power threats (like, you know, Rickey Henderson) are still the dream, and for good reason. These days, though, you'd rather have a strong hitter with a keen eye starting things off rather than an 80-grade burner who scuffles with everything else. Last summer, the Yankees' lineup finally managed to take off when Gleyber Torres was elevated to the top of it; for a few months, he outweighed his defensive deficiencies and mental lapses by OBPing .363 in August and .387 in Sept/Oct. with five total homers. That surge got him above a 100 OPS+ for the year, salvaging a technically above-average season from an early slog.

The Yankees allowed Torres to walk for plenty of reasons this offseason, but he took a valued and unlocked leadoff presence with him when he left for Detroit. Against the odds, New York appears to have found someone equally unorthodox (if not more so) to fill the hole: catcher Austin Wells, who's ready to grip it and rip it (or, again, walk).

Austin Wells: Leadoff Hitter will make the Yankees forget about Gleyber Torres' most important production of 2024

Even in the modern era, Wells is an unconventional choice; an upgrade from the outlandish choice he would've been 5-10 years ago. The Yankees would love an idealized version of Anthony Volpe atop the order, but until he becomes a .260-25-25 guy, he needs a lesser spotlight to find himself. While Wells can't burn on the base paths, he's gotten plenty of chances this spring (after a late start) to prove his sophomore campaign will be even more patient and powerful than the last. So far, so good; he's drilled three homers with a 1.209 OPS in just 22 at-bats, all of them long-distance rockets.

Torres might not be a loss for the infield defense or the New York pressure cooker, but he certainly did get his swagger back down the stretch and into October, resembling the playoff performer he appeared to be back in 2019. Wells, if he does get the job, will need to maintain his swagger and panache in order to replicate Torres' work. Spring training results aren't the be all, end all, but based on the number of times he's already let one fly and dropped the bat, he's certainly getting the hang of things quickly.

The one thing we can't guarantee is that Torres will ever forget about the Yankees. His comments this spring have made it abundantly clear that they'll always hold a sliver of his mind captive.