The Yankees are currently wrestling with the kind of problem every other general manager in baseball would kill for. They have too many good players. Jasson Dominguez is putting on a clinic in the Grapefruit League, and people would love to see him in the Bronx. But if you look at the landscape of this roster, the front office isn’t “burying” a star. They are protecting an investment.
Not including Tuesday’s exhibition against Team Panama, Dominguez is having a very nice spring. He is slashing .333/.353/.667 with a home run and five RBIs in five games. That is the kind of performance that usually secures a roster spot. In fact, it’s the kind of production that demands regular at-bats.
A Roster Bursting at the Seams
The reality of the 2026 Yankees is that the outfield is essentially a “No Vacancy” hotel. You have Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, two guys who aren’t coming out of the lineup for anyone. Then you have Trent Grisham, who is coming off an All-Star-caliber season where he took control of an everyday spot. Add in Giancarlo Stanton at DH and the veteran presence of Randal Grichuk, and the path to the field vanishes.
Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
To put it simply, there is no spot for the Martian to get relevant playing time in the majors. The Yankees are making it clear they want him playing every day, not sitting on a bench in the Bronx waiting for a pinch-hit opportunity in the eighth inning. The most logical solution is for him to open the year in Triple-A Scranton. It keeps him in tip-top shape and ensures he is ready the second a door opens.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman isn’t blind to the numbers Dominguez is putting up. He knows the kid is raking. But he also knows that the long-term health of a prospect’s career can be derailed by inconsistent playing time at the MLB level. Cashman reminded the world this past weekend that the plan involves patience and repetitions.
“He’s taking his reps and trying to push himself in the mix,” Cashman told the New York Post. “Clearly the everyday spot’s not there, with [Trent] Grisham and [Cody] Bellinger and [Aaron] Judge and [Giancarlo] Stanton, currently. But you know how things change really quickly, so all he can do right now, him and [Spencer] Jones, as well as [Randal] Grichuk and anybody else, is put themselves in a position for us to take notice and we’ll evaluate what opportunities exist at the end of camp and make calls. Hopefully those calls will be tough ones to make.”
Aug 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) hits a double against the Washington Nationals during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Staying Hungry in the Bushes
Dominguez likely knows his fate. He is a professional who understands how the business of baseball works. He also knows that the 162-game grind is a war of attrition. Injuries can strike at any moment, and an everyday slot could potentially open up in a few weeks or a few months.
The Martian needs to stay motivated and hungry. Going down to the minors after a hot spring can be a mental hurdle, but for a player of his caliber, it’s just another step. He has to keep showing off his abilities until the team simply can’t keep him down anymore. For now, the depth chart is the boss, but in baseball, the depth chart is written in pencil.
Andres Chavez
