Yankees' Austin Wells Makes MLB History With Leadoff HR on Opening Day vs. Brewers

New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells started the 2025 season on a high note.

Wells hit a home run to open the Yankees' clash with the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, becoming the first catcher in MLB history with a leadoff homer on Opening Day.

Wells served as New York's leadoff hitter throughout the majority of the Grapefruit League leading up to the 2025 regular season.

Although he didn't operate in that spot in the Yankees' batting order during his 2024 campaign, he excelled in the new role. Wells hit six home runs and recorded 12 RBIs to go along with a 1.183 OPS in 16 Spring Training games.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone previously explained why he moved the 25-year-old up in the team's lineup.

“I like him there," Boone said, via Greg Joyce of the New York Post. "It may continue to evolve. I don’t know that we’ve seen many lefty starters at all. I might change it up there if we were to see a left-handed starter possibly. But I’ve really liked him in that spot. I think he profiles well for it."

Gleyber Torres handled leadoff duties for New York throughout most of the team's 2024 season, with shortstop Anthony Volpe briefly taking over in the middle of the year before Torres resumed the role throughout the team's World Series run.

The Detroit Tigers eventually signed Torres in free agency.

As for Wells, he spent most of 2024 hitting cleanup and operating in the No. 8 spot in New York's lineup. He finished with 13 homers and 55 RBIs while posting a .229/.322/.395 slash line, accumulating the third-most American League Rookie of the Year votes.

Wells' solo shot in the first inning gave New York an early 1-0 lead on Thursday.