How Yankees have failed former top prospect Jasson Dominguez

The Yankees’ enormous mistake

Grisham shockingly accepted the Yankees’ qualifying supply 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 lots of followers have been sad with the information. Though Grisham had a profession 12 months in 2025, crushing 34 homers and posting an .812 OPS, this determination could change the course of the Bombers’ offseason and Dominguez’s profession. 

The unlikely breakout marketing campaign from Grisham stifled a Dominguez growth 12 months final season, nevertheless it 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 12 months. 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 because 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 influence on the dish, Dominguez struggled to showcase his defensive prowess whereas studying left subject. A pure middle 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 by means of an identical gauntlet of grinding to earn taking part in time and be taught 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 taking part in time are more likely to keep the identical. 

What’s subsequent for Dominguez?

Whereas it appears to be like to be one other 12 months 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 need to add his instruments to their roster and provides him a shot to turn out to be 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 through the 2025 commerce deadline. 

Except 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, slightly than let him lose worth on the bench. Whether or not it’s a strong bullpen or rotation arm, or a giant take care of many transferring components, the switch-hitting slugger ought to now be seen as a key commerce asset over the winter. 

A darkish, gloomy cloud looms over the Dominguez period within the Bronx. An unlucky UCL damage may need sidelined him for a season, however many of the setbacks got here from mismanagement. 

After being performed out of place, not given sufficient alternatives and practically forgotten 4 years into his long-awaited profession, Dominguez seems to be one other casualty of the Yankees’ growth system.