In a rather surprise move, the New York Yankees announced prior to Sunday’s Little League Classic against the Detroit Tigers that star prospect outfielder Jasson Dominguez will be appointed as the 27th man on the active roster.
Jasson Dominguez is back up with the Yankees
It is definitely interesting that Dominguez was the team’s choice for the extra roster spot rather than a pitcher. This does come at a time where the Yankees could use the extra help offensively, however, as Alex Verdugo has been slumping for a majority of the season and recently discovered that he has an allergy to a chemical in his batting gloves, which may be affecting his performance.
Dominguez, 21, is one of baseball’s top prospects and is the no. 1 prospect in the Yankees’ farm system, according to MLB.com. He made his big league debut last season and hit four home runs in eight games before needing Tommy John Surgery in his elbow.
Dominguez is expected to be a part of the Yankees’ long-term plans
If it weren’t for that injury, he likely would have been New York’s starting outfielder on Opening Day alongside Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. Not too long after recovering from Tommy John surgery, Dominguez dealt with an oblique strain earlier this season that forced him to miss over a month in the minor leagues, but he has now returned and is hitting .219 with one home run since coming back from a rehab stint in late July.
Despite struggling since his return, Dominguez is expected to be a major contributor to the Yankees moving forward, and could even be an important part of their playoff run in October as well. It is unclear if he will play in Sunday’s game at Williamsport, Pa., but it is still a good sign to see New York show a sense of urgency by calling up their top prospect in time for the stretch run.