New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells has become a breakout star of the 2024 World Series — and it all started with that TikTok video.
Earlier this year a Yankees fan dredged up a 2020 video of the now 25-year-old Wells dancing to “Shooting Stars” by Bag Raiders. While he was recreating a trend the covid lockdown of yore, Wells’ video didn’t get enough attention when it was initially posted. Frankly, Us Weekly hasn’t stopped watching the clip on repeat since it went viral in August.
“Spread good vibes y’all,” the athlete captioned the video when it was initially posted. There’s a lot to unpack, starting with his cut-off shirt that features a photo of Michael Scott (Steve Carrell) from The Office.
After Wells gets out of the passenger seat of the car he’s in, viewers are then able to see the vibrant floral-print shorts that complete the look. Sorry, unpacking the dance moves will be hard since Us is too focused on his biceps to pay attention to anything else really.
@awells162 Spread good vibes y’all #mufasa #goodvibes #aroundtheworld #fyp
♬ original sound – Austin Wells
Wells has also cut his hair in the last four years — he’s sporting more of a clean-cut Yankees look nowadays — but here’s hoping these longer locks come back in the offseason. Perhaps the most noticeable difference is the lack of mustache. The 2020 video features Wells with a lot more facial hair than Yankees fans are used to but his 2024 World Series ‘stache is still the winner. In Us’ eyes, at least.
Of course, when the video went viral this past summer, his fellow Yankees players saw it.
“I’m embracing it,” he told reporters in August about the TikTok. “I’m just glad it’s a good thing and not a bad thing.”
Prior to his MLB debut, Wells was playing baseball at the University of Arizona. He was a first-round draft pick for the Yankees in 2020, suiting up in pinstripes for the first time in September 2023 against the Houston Astros. (Wells hit a line drive for his first-ever MLB at bat and the Yankees won 6-2.)
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The Platform Suede Boots ‘Feel as Soft and Warm as the More Expensive Brand,’ Per Users — Now 60% off! View DealAs the Yankees went into the MLB Postseason, Wells became an integral part of the team’s wins, taking them to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
During an appearance on the “Casa de Klub” podcast in June, Wells recalled the moment he got drafted to the Yankees — after turning down the Tampa Bay Rays.
“The Rays at [spot] 24 called and were like, ‘We wanted to take you at 24.’ I asked my agent, ‘What are the Yankees doing at 28?’” Wells recalled, noting that the Yankees had planned to take him if he passed on the Rays. “I was like, “I want to be a Yankee.’”
