Ideally, the New York Yankees would prefer to let their star prospects continue developing at the minor-league level. Regrettably, the team’s poor performance and lack of depth leave them with no choice but to promote unprepared talent. Players like Jhony Brito and Oswaldo Cabrera could benefit from more time at Triple-A to address their weaknesses.
Nonetheless, due to suboptimal roster construction and investments in injury-prone players, the Yankees find themselves in a difficult position, ten games behind in the AL East and facing six more games against the Tampa Bay Rays over the next nine days. This predicament leads the Yankees to contemplate a comprehensive youth overhaul, promoting young talent in a season that appears to be on the decline.
Escaping this predicament will demand a monumental effort, and without superstar Aaron Judge, the Yankees stand little chance against above-average teams.
Given the circumstances, promoting Jasson Dominguez at some point during the 2023 campaign seems justified, particularly if the outfield continues to struggle.
Michael Kay of the Yes Network reports that the Yankees may promote their star outfield prospect, despite a rocky start to the year in Double-A:
“I know he really opened some eyes . . . A high-ranking person in the organization told me ‘don’t be surprised if you see him this year'”
The Yankees need to give Jasson Dominguez more time to develop:
Dominguez has a .159 batting average and a .386 OBP in Double-A this year, hitting two home runs with seven RBIs and ten stolen bases. His 113 wRC+ is interesting, given his metrics. Although his batting average is unimpressive, he has made solid contact, and the hits will eventually materialize. Dominguez has both a 26.1% strikeout rate and a 26.1% walk rate, demonstrating good patience but a high whiff rate.
Dominguez’s slow start will likely improve, just as it did in High-A with Hudson Valley. His performance in 11 spring training games against major league talent, where he hit .455 with a .520 OBP, four home runs, and nine RBIs in 22 at-bats, indicates his potential. It is only a matter of time before he succeeds at the Double-A level and earns a promotion to Triple-A Scranton.
According to Michael Kay, the Yankees might fast-track Dominguez to the MLB, potentially bypassing Triple-A entirely, similar to Anthony Volpe. After a difficult start to the 2022 season, Volpe shone with Somerset and showcased streaky hitting in a small sample size with Scranton.
However, he secured the shortstop position over Oswald Peraza, proving that spring training statistics matter. Dominguez was one of the team’s most exciting outfielders at bat, and with the current offensive drought, he might be the Yankees’ best internal option to bolster the unit.
General manager Brian Cashman aims to give Dominguez ample time to develop, so unless a new outfielder is acquired through trade, “The Martian” might join the Yankees eventually, though not likely before the trade deadline.
Like with Oswald Peraza’s promotion last year, prospects called up after August 17 do not accumulate service time. Dominguez could be promoted around that date, preserving his service time while providing crucial MLB experience ahead of the 2024 season.