The Yankees Have a Jasson Domínguez Problem

Yankees Face Dilemma on Jasson Domínguez with Grisham Staying

Underwhelming Rookie Year

Having just 100 plate appearances under his belt through 2023 and ’24, last season was the first full season for “The Martian”. It wasn’t really a full season, though, since he only registered 104 games with at least two plate appearances. His rookie campaign was a bit underwhelming to say the least, posting a slash line of .257/.331/.388 with 10 homers and 47 RBI. Most concerning, however, was his lackluster defense, with StatCast measuring his fielding run value at an abysmal -9. It did improve over the course of the season, but Domínguez was such a liability in the field that he often was taken out of games in the later innings.

Still, the 22-year-old showed a lot of promise, particularly at the plate and on the bases. His .719 OPS, just about the major league average, is nothing to brag about; but considering that he’s a switch hitter who has much better numbers from the left side of the plate (.768 OPS vs righties compared to .569 vs lefties) as well as the fact that he did not get much regular playing time, his stats suddenly become a lot more impressive. He also stole 23 bases, the second-most on the team and the third-most out of all MLB rookies.

Crowded House

It might not matter how much promise Domínguez showed last year, though. With the Yankees in pursuit of both Bellinger and the ever-coveted Kyle Tucker, there will probably not be much room, if any, for Domínguez. With the clock continuing to tick on Aaron Judge‘s prime years of production, the Yankees should be going all out to give themselves the best possible chance to make it back to the Fall Classic. Unfortunately, barring rapid and massive strides of improvement on both sides of the ball, Domínguez may not fit into New York’s equation for success, at least in a starting role.

It’s tough to say whether or not Domínguez is a part of the Yankees’ future plans in the outfield, since their actions/acquisitions this offseason will likely answer that question. Considering how rapidly Spencer Jones is rising through the Yankees’ system, Domínguez’s future in New York looks even murkier. However, the talent is still there, and given a chance to keep improving, he could very well be a viable everyday player. “The Martian” is still just 22 years of age, and it’s a bit too early for the Yankees to consider trading him outright. Still, by continuing to keep Jasson Domínguez out of a starting role, they may do more harm than good in letting him develop and try to become the once-in-a-lifetime prospect he was touted as.