Jasson Domínguez has already caught the attention of his fellow Yankees teammates during spring training, and manager Aaron Boone is on the same page. Like all of us, he’s incredibly impressed by what the 20-year-old stud has shown this early on. Boone was raving about his poise and ability to make plays and track pitches with the best of them. In Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty’s joint write-up for The Athletic, the Yankee manager gave some very encouraging comments on The Martian.
“The way I would put it is from what I’ve seen so far in the box, the game is moving slow for him, which is a good thing,” Aaron Boone said. “Even his at-bat (Wednesday), I feel like if you make a mistake to him he’s going to get you. He does a really good job, forget for a young player but for anyone. He’s in control of the zone because it is moving slow. He had a real quality patient at-bat yesterday. Just talking to people within the organization in player development, his progress last year from spring training to June was enormous. So far he’s been one of those guys early on really getting to see for the first time live on a daily basis, albeit 10 days in, he just looks like a player.”
Aaron Boone on Jasson Dominguez, via The Athletic
Boone’s comments are very reassuring for the fans that believe Jasson Domínguez is ready already, though I wouldn’t quite get my hopes up just yet. Domínguez had nothing more than a cup of coffee with Double-A Somerset, and it could certainly benefit him from getting more reps there, and in turn, with Triple-A Scranton. However, thanks to his spring performances, he’s already making a name for himself.
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Although it’s only a 12-at-bat sample, Domínguez is doing everything right. He’s working walks — 14.3% BB Rate, not striking out — 7.1% K Rate, and is putting barrel to the ball and hitting it incredibly hard. He’s slugging .917 this spring and is putting his repertoire on full display for everyone to see. I can easily see him being a potential late-season call-up, and if Boone’s comments hold any weight, maybe he does as well.
Dominguez’s skills make him one of the most polished prospects in all of baseball:
The Martian is simply cut from a different cloth. While a mass slew of prospect publications continue to fault him for not getting off to a blazing start last season, many have to remember that it was his first stint in professional ball. Not being able to play during the COVID-plagued 2020 season did slow his development just a tad.
He clobbered the ball with High-A Hudson Valley, as he was easily one of the best players the Renegades rolled out. His time in Somerset hasn’t amounted to much, but he did lead the brigade during their championship victory last year, as he clubbed two HR (one from each side of the plate), stole a base, and worked a walk as well.
There’s no doubting his skillset and true 5-tool makeup, and his power is already far greater than majority of players his age scattered across the different levels of the minor leagues. He’s making his presence felt, and I can see him being a potential late-season call-up candidate if he continues to rake like he has been doing this spring.
Many fans choose to ignore spring training entirely, and the true casuals of the sport will chalk any success during this time to “well, they’re playing minor league pitchers”, rather than just giving credit where it’s due. Domínguez has plenty of time to develop, and I cannot wait to see what is in store for him next. The future continues to be bright, and the Yanks’ development system has been firing on all cylinders this spring.