With the Yankees enjoying a day off on Monday, there wasn’t much buzz except for the continued dominance of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, who had an exceptional May and have carried that momentum into early June. They recently completed a sweep of the San Francisco Giants out west, but the positive developments don’t stop there.
The Yankees have advanced star outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre, marking the final leg of his rehabilitation journey.
Dominguez’s Rapid Ascent Through His Rehab
Dominguez’s performance, albeit in a limited number of games, has been impressive. He started with four games at Single-A Tampa and was quickly promoted to Double-A Somerset.
Over 10 games with Somerset, Dominguez boasted a batting line of .316/.350/.632, including four home runs and eight RBIs. His strikeout rate stood at 27.5%, with a walk rate of 5%, and an impressive weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 171.
Defying expectations, Dominguez has powerfully countered the belief that power is the last attribute to return following Tommy John surgery, hitting home runs with remarkable frequency and leveraging his switch-hitting ability to challenge opposing pitchers effectively.
Yankees’ Strategy for Dominguez
Fortunately, the Yankees are not in urgent need of Dominguez’s talents in their outfield, thanks to the solid performances of Alex Verdugo, Soto, and Judge. Trent Grisham will continue to serve as the primary reserve, with Giancarlo Stanton filling the designated hitter role.
However, the Yankees might consider bringing Dominguez up in September, ahead of the postseason, to utilize him off the bench while also strategically ensuring he does not accrue service time post-deadline.
- Yankees tried to dump $18.5 million contract on Cardinals for Nolan Arenado
- Yankees are ‘focused’ on former MVP, but they have plenty of competition
- Yankees improve bullpen depth with unexpected trade with Reds
For the time being, Dominguez will spend his time with Scranton, the final minor league hurdle before the majors. The Yankees have no reason to rush his return to the MLB; therefore, he is expected to see significant action at Triple-A before any further decisions regarding his future are made. This approach could potentially position him as a primary starter in 2025 if he doesn’t make the jump to the majors this season.