Austin Wells didn’t set out to become a food influencer. But a few hours before the Yankees opened their first road series of the season in Pittsburgh, the 24-year-old catcher launched an Instagram account that now has more followers than some minor leaguers have career at-bats.
It’s called @wells.ranked.burritos, and its purpose is exactly what it sounds like: Austin Wells is reviewing breakfast burritos from every visiting clubhouse the Yankees enter this year. Two reviews in, it’s already a hit.
“I thought it would just be a joke,” Austin Wells said. “Something dumb the guys would follow. Now I feel pressure to post. There’s no going back.”
By Sunday afternoon, barely 48 hours after the first post, more than 58,000 people had clicked “follow.”
A side of chorizo with clubhouse culture
Austin Wells’ first review featured a chorizo, egg, salsa, and cheese burrito served in the visiting clubhouse at PNC Park. The verdict? An 87 out of 100. He followed it up on Sunday with a steak, egg, garlic, and guajillo chili burrito that earned a 73. Wells is using a 100-point scale, eschewing the more common 1-to-10 approach “because everyone else does it.”
“I wanted to be different,” he said.
That decision — and the casual but detailed reviews — have added a surprisingly human element to the early weeks of the Yankees’ season. For a fanbase used to dissecting launch angle and exit velocity, a player’s take on tortilla crispness and salsa spice offers a fresh angle into what life looks like behind the scenes.
Austin Wells knows what he’s looking for in a burrito. “A little crisp on the tortilla, and a lot of eggs,” he said. “Chorizo’s my go-to. Simple, but good flavor.”
Manager Aaron Boone is on board with the trend, though he joked he prefers a more baseball-oriented scoring system. “We tend to use the 20-80 scale,” Boone said. “I gave the first one a 60 — a fringy All-Star burrito.”
As for the second? “Also a 60. But I only had half. Playing for the tie, calorie-wise.”
Austin Wells isn’t keeping the burrito business to himself. The entire Yankees clubhouse seems to be watching. Anthony Volpe, one of Wells’ closest teammates, didn’t hold back his sarcastic take: “I hate it. Just attention-seeking.”
Austin Wells finds unexpected competition in the food review game
But Austin Wells might not be the only food critic on the Yankees’ beat for long. YES Network play-by-play announcer Michael Kay launched a competing Instagram account, @Kay_Eats_Tendies, over the weekend with help from clubhouse reporter Meredith Marakovits. His mission: reviewing chicken tenders from press boxes around the league.
“He has a way better profile picture than me,” Austin Wells admitted, referring to Kay’s AI-generated photo of his face on a chicken tender. “I might have to talk to AI for mine. I’m a little worried.”
For now, Austin Wells is sticking to burritos. His next reviews will likely come from Comerica Park, where the Yankees begin a three-game series against the Tigers on Monday. The early success of the account has taken even him by surprise — but it’s clear he’s enjoying the process.
“It’s just something fun,” he said. “If people like it, I’ll keep doing it.”
And so far, they do. From scouting reports to scrambled eggs, Austin Wells is offering fans a new way to follow the season — one bite at a time.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
