The box score says one thing, but Yankees‘ Jasson Dominguez might be telling a different story—one that’s just getting started in the Bronx.
While the headlines after Saturday’s 13-1 demolition of the Colorado Rockies went to Max Fried’s brilliance and another Aaron Judge homer, it’s the rookie phenom quietly heating up that might matter most.
If Dominguez was a stock, you’d want to buy in now before the price skyrockets.
The surface stats tell a solid story—but the splits are even better
Dominguez is slashing .247/.345/.432 this season, which on its face is solid for a 22-year-old rookie outfielder.
But peel back the surface and you’ll uncover something far more intriguing—his production from the left side of the plate has been borderline elite. Across 97 at-bats, he’s hitting .299/.345/.555 with five home runs and 17 RBIs.
That’s a .900 OPS from the left side.
More than 65% of his at-bats have come left-handed, and the results are staggering. He ranks in the 88th percentile in hard-hit rate—meaning when he makes contact, it’s loud and dangerous. Pitchers are paying the price.
The swing-and-miss concern is real—but not alarming yet
The flip side of that power is a bit more troubling.
Dominguez has a 30.6% whiff rate and a 28.3% strikeout rate—numbers that can’t be ignored. He’s missing a lot of pitches, especially from the right side, where his contact quality falls off noticeably.
But his 12.7% walk rate gives him a lifeline. He’s showing patience and understanding of the strike zone, especially rare for someone his age and experience level.
If he ever becomes more balanced as a switch-hitter—or dials back to the left side exclusively—he might unlock another gear entirely.
The fielding is catching up to the bat
One of the biggest concerns early in the season was Dominguez’s defense, which started shaky.
He’s currently sitting at -5 Outs Above Average, a reflection of some early-season struggles adjusting to major league reads and routes.
But lately, he’s shown improvement, and his athleticism is starting to translate more consistently in the outfield.
He might never be an elite defender, but he doesn’t need to be if he continues producing this kind of offensive output.
This is what future stars look like
What we’re seeing from Dominguez is the foundation of something great. It’s not perfect yet—but it’s undeniable.
He’s barreling baseballs, hitting for power, drawing walks, and figuring things out one game at a time. Saturday’s two-hit, one-walk performance with an RBI was just the latest quiet confirmation.
He’s not just holding his own.
He’s becoming a real force.
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