Yankees’ new center fielder could explode onto the scene in 2025

MLB: New York Yankees at Oakland Athletics, jasson dominguez
Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Some analysts have floated the idea of trading Jasson Dominguez this offseason in exchange for proven talent, but that line of thinking feels shortsighted. The Yankees are in a position where cost-efficient, controllable players like Dominguez are becoming increasingly valuable, particularly as they navigate luxury tax thresholds.

At just 21 years old, Dominguez has shown flashes of elite potential in the minor leagues and has barely scratched the surface of his MLB career. Trading him before seeing what he can become feels less like a calculated risk and more like a gamble with the potential to haunt the Yankees for years.

A Player Primed for Breakout

Dominguez’s journey hasn’t been without its bumps. Injuries have slowed his path to consistent MLB playing time, most notably Tommy John surgery and an oblique issue in 2024.

MLB: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees, jasson dominguez
Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

However, when healthy, Dominguez has been electric. Towards the end of the 2024 season, he caught fire in AAA before earning a promotion to the Yankees’ roster. He was volatile in 18 sporadic MLB games, but that was expected given the circumstances.

There were some lapses in his defensive positioning and overall performance, but the Yankees will likely stick him in center, where they can hide some of the issues he faced in left.

The Value of Cost-Controlled Talent

The Yankees have to play the long game with Dominguez, especially given his pre-arbitration status. If he cements his role in the lineup and becomes a productive player, his value will skyrocket—not only as an everyday contributor but as one of the team’s most cost-effective assets.

Moving him now, unless it’s part of a deal for a bona fide star, would not only weaken the Yankees’ long-term financial outlook but also risk squandering a rare opportunity to develop a homegrown star.

MLB: New York Yankees at Oakland Athletics, jasson dominguez
Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Perils of Trading Too Soon

Trading young talent is always a risk, but Dominguez’s ceiling makes it an especially dangerous proposition. Unless the Yankees are receiving a legitimate star in return—someone who shifts the team’s championship odds in a meaningful way—it’s hard to justify moving a player of his caliber. Contenders across the league covet players like Dominguez, who offer high upside on low-cost contracts. If the Yankees trade him now, they may find themselves paying a premium to replace the production he could offer in just a season or two.

A Talent Worth the Patience

The Yankees have a storied history of developing some of the game’s biggest stars, and Dominguez could be the next in line. While the allure of adding a proven player to the roster is tempting, the potential of Dominguez to grow into a cornerstone of the team far outweighs the short-term benefit of trading him. Patience isn’t just a virtue—it’s a strategy that could pay off in spades if the Yankees let Dominguez realize his full potential in pinstripes.

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