Following the New York Yankees ‚ re-signing of outfielder Trent Grisham, proper fielder and former prime prospect Jasson Dominguez is approaching one more yr of little to no growth. The 22-year-old switch-hitter, who was as soon as hailed as the following Mickey Mantle and even drew comparisons to Mike Trout, now seems to be just like the odd man out in New York’s outfield getting into his fourth season within the majors.
The Yankees‘ large mistake
Grisham shockingly accepted the Yankees‘ qualifying provide on Nov. 18, returning to the Bronx on a one-year, $22.025 million deal.
This got here as a shock on all fronts, and plenty of followers have been sad with the information. Though Grisham had a profession yr in 2025, crushing 34 homers and posting an .812 OPS, this choice might change the course of the Bombers‘ offseason and Dominguez’s profession.
The unlikely breakout marketing campaign from Grisham stifled a Dominguez growth yr final season, but it surely was warranted. Each the followers and entrance workplace alike need the younger outfielder to develop, however Grisham earned himself the function he was in over the course of the yr. That mentioned, it is lengthy overdue to let Dominguez have his run as a full-time outfielder.
Jasson Dominguez’s ruined growth
In simply 381 at-bats this season, Dominguez batted .257, with 10 homers and 23 stolen bases. When he did get alternatives to start out, it got here after days of sitting on the bench or being randomly inserted right into a late-game situation, the place he can be promptly taken out as a consequence of fielding issues.
Dominguez racked up 271 at-bats earlier than the All-Star break and slashed .266/.343/.417 throughout that stretch, however the longer the season dragged on, the less alternatives he was given. Dominguez obtained solely 110 at-bats after the All-Star break, and slashed a lowly .236/.288/.309.
Along with his dwindling possibilities to make an affect on the dish, Dominguez struggled to showcase his defensive prowess whereas studying left subject. A pure heart fielder, Yankees administration tried the younger outfielder in left, the place he was one of many worst defenders in baseball, posting -10 Outs Above Common this season.
This isn’t the primary time the Yankees have tried this experiment with a promising younger outfielder, as former prime prospect Clint Frazier was put via the same gauntlet of grinding to earn enjoying time and study a brand new place on the fly. After being developed solely as a middle fielder, some outfielders can shift to both proper or left subject and make it appear easy, however, like Frazier, Dominguez didn’t have such luck.
As soon as a prime prospect, assured when leaving Triple-A, he now second-guesses himself each within the subject and on the plate due to restricted possibilities. With Grisham’s return to the Bronx, his confidence and enjoying time are more likely to keep the identical.
What’s subsequent for Dominguez?
Whereas it seems to be to be one other yr of platooning and using the pine for Dominguez, he may nonetheless be traded.
Though Dominguez’s worth is not as excessive because it was in earlier years, some groups nonetheless wish to add his instruments to their roster and provides him a shot to turn into a full-time outfielder. The Yankees‘ entrance workplace is not hesitant to maneuver him both, as they supplied Dominguez in a commerce for nearer Jhoan Duran throughout the 2025 commerce deadline.
Until New York strikes out on buying one other outfielder, one of the best transfer for the Yankees‘ entrance workplace is to commerce Dominguez, who will enter his age-23 season in 2026, reasonably than let him lose worth on the bench. Whether or not it’s a strong bullpen or rotation arm, or an enormous cope with many transferring elements, the switch-hitting slugger ought to now be considered as a key commerce asset over the winter.
A darkish, gloomy cloud looms over the Dominguez period within the Bronx. An unlucky UCL harm may need sidelined him for a season, however a lot of the setbacks got here from mismanagement.
After being performed out of place, not given sufficient alternatives and almost forgotten 4 years into his long-awaited profession, Dominguez seems to be one other casualty of the Yankees‘ growth system.
