The New York Yankees are the odds on favorites to sign number one international prospect Rodrick Arias, who has been likened to Jasson Dominguez and advertised as the next Wander Franco. Just like Dominguez, he is called a monster at the plate.
The Yankees feel that Arias is one of the greatest young prospects to come along in years and the best since Dominguez. Dominguez was signed with the Yankees in July of 2019. He has progressed nicely and has been the Yankees’ number one prospect for some time until he was surpassed by SS Anthony Volpe late this summer. The Yankees have been taking their time with Dominguez as they don’t want to rush him before he is ready.
In 2021, he earned 206 plate appearances with 52 hits and a batting average of .252. Jasson will be 19 this coming spring training. Although he has only played to Tampa Low A, expect him to be promoted this season. Dominguez will likely be ready for the big time in 2023.
The Yankees have never been big on starting kids young. Mickey Mantle was the youngest ever Yankee in the modern era (1900). We all know how that baseball career turned out. Mantle started with the Yankees at the age of 19, 179 days. The youngest pitcher was Cornelius Joseph Brady at the age of 18. More recently, Derek Jeter debuted with the Yankees at the age of 20.
The Yankee scouts have had their eyes on Rodrick Arias for the last few years. The 17-year-old is from San Pedro de Macoris, the Dominican Republic, where he played sandlot baseball near his home. Since then, he has grown and is now 6′ 1″ and weighs 180 pounds. As a result, he has drawn comparisons by scouts to Jasson Dominguez for his size and strength. Particularly interesting to the Yankees is that he is a switch hitter with success from both sides of the plate.
Arias is an up can coming shortstop, and the Yankees are expected to sign him on January 15, 2022. This would be the most exciting international signing since Dominguez. Scouts tout him as being the next Wander Franco.
Top international prospect Roderick Arias, who is expected to sign with the Yankees, hits an absolute bomb ?
?: Roderick Arias pic.twitter.com/3T43FFXs0P
— Eli Fishman (@elijfishman) October 30, 2021