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Jasson Dominguez Keep Or Trade This Winter

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Oct 31, 2025 2:35 PM ET

The New York Yankees spent most of last year figuring out what they have in Jasson Dominguez. No shockers. He is 22, athletic, fast, with real bat speed and his talent still needs shaping. His line was fine for a first full run: .257 with 10 homers and 23 steals, plus an October homer. But the season raised one red flag the team cannot ignore: the right-handed bat lagged enough to cost him playing time late.

So they head into the winter, uncertain where Domiguez fits. Is he the future of the outfield they can wait on, or is he an enticing trade chip they can use for a frontline starter or a back of the bullpen arm?

What Happened In 2025

Dominguez was given a runway to win an everyday job out of spring training.

As a right-handed hitter, Dominguez slashed .204/.279/.290 with an OPS of .570 and struck out nearly a third of the time, according to FanGraphs. From the left side, he was closer to league average, around .274/.348/.420. Overall strikeout rate sat near 27 percent.

That split explains why his role shrank down the stretch and sets the question for 2026.

The Good News Under The Hood

The contact quality is there, according to Baseball Savant. His average exit velocity sits around 90.6 mph with a hard-hit rate near 50 percent—numbers that usually belong to above-average regulars once approach and contact stabilize. For a 22-year-old still learning big-league pitch mixes, that is a sturdy floor. If he tightens the zone and stops expanding on glove-side spin, the upside reappears in a hurry.

New York Yankees rookie Jasson Dominguez flips off his batting helmet to celebrate a walk-off home run against the Texas Rangers on May 21, 2025, at Yankee Stadium.© John Jones-Imagn Images

What To Do Now

Keep it simple. Either commit to him and the fix, or move him only for a clear upgrade. They can hedge their bets by parking him as a fourth outfielder while adding veterans and if he doesn’t force his way into the conversation, use him at the trade deadline.

If they keep him, they need a lane out of camp with a light early platoon tilt to protect him from the same-hand breaking ball that terrorized him last season. They need to see two of three things out of him by June: steadier swing decisions, improvement on his strikeout rates, and at least a league-average line as a right-handed hitter.

If two of the three hit, you likely have a cost-controlled center fielder for years.

If they trade him, make it count.

You don’t sell the Martian for a mid-game reliever. Dominguez should only move for a real upgrade. He targets a top-of-the-rotation starter with an extension window, a controllable everyday third baseman, or a star center fielder with more present power.

Dominguez is the headliner in any proposal for a blockbuster deal. He will turn 23 in February and the underlying talent is there. The Yankees just may not have the window to let him develop.

Pair him with an MLB-ready arm, and a secondary prospect, and the Yankees can upgrade easily. If the return is anything less than a rotation anchor or a multi-year position solve, Brian Cashman needs to hang up and keep developing the right-handed swing.

This Winter is Crucial

There are roster dominoes to consider. The Yankees must decide on Cody Bellinger or Trent Grisham, weigh how much they trust Spencer Jones in center, and be honest about Dominguez’s ceiling right now versus where it could be by June. The wrong answer is drifting. Pick a lane. If the right-handed swing firms up, you may lock down center field cheaply in Judge’s window. If you do not buy the fix, use the name now to solve a major issue.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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