Andres Chavez
The New York Yankees have seen their fair share of excellent switch-hitters throughout history, from Mickey Mantle to Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, and Mark Teixeira. Switch-hitting is, however, extremely difficult.
These players need to master not one, but two different swings. That takes skill and work, as Jasson Dominguez is probably aware. The ‘Martian’ hits from both sides of the plate, but is considerably better at hitting righties as a left-handed hitter.
His 103 wRC+ in the majors last year is divided by two very different realities: he had a 116 mark hitting left-handed, and a meager 63 wRC+ against southpaws, hitting as a right-hander. For his career, the split is even bigger: 122 vs. righties; 55 vs. lefties.
Making Strides
Having said that, it’s important to note that three big factors influenced the Yankees’ decision to option him to Triple-A. The first and most obvious one is their incredible outfield depth, as they have Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton, and Randal Grichuk on the roster. There’s just no room for Dominguez, and he is better off playing every day in Scranton.
The second factor is his mediocre defense in the outfield. Last year, he looked lost at times out there, and the Yankees are prioritizing Bellinger, Grisham, and Judge not only because they hit, but also because their defense is better and more consistent.
The third reason is, well, that Dominguez can’t hit lefties. Or that has been the case to this point, at least.
But the young slugger has been making strides this spring. He has been running better routes and looking more comfortable. It’s probably unfair to expect him to be an asset with a glove in his hand when he had -7 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -10 Outs Above Average (OAA) last year in fewer than 800 innings, so any progress will be appreciated.
Spring Improvements Vs. Lefties
Additionally, he has been much better against lefties. Granted, spring training numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, but he had another good showing facing Framber Valdez, a top southpaw, on Saturday.
“Another good day for Jasson DomÃnguez, even after getting the news he was optioned last night: Two hits from the right side off lefty Framber Valdez, including a triple,” Greg Joyce of the New York Post wrote on X.
The ‘Martian’ is slashing .357/.424/.643 vs. righties this spring, but has been just as good against lefties as his .333/.333/.667 indicates. He has a homer and a triple vs. southpaws.
His stint in Triple-A will test if there have truly been any improvements on that front or if it’s just spring noise. And if he can prove he has made strides in that specific area, he’ll be back sooner than you think.
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