The New York Yankees might have their future left field position resolved by Jasson Dominguez, provided he can accelerate his development and vie for the starting role in 2024.
Following a dynamic performance in spring training with the major league team, the Yankees assigned Dominguez to Double-A Somerset to further his progress.
Though Dominguez was initially seen as a centerfielder, he’s more suitable for a corner position opposite Aaron Judge. With his switch-hitting ability, he possesses the potential to become an elite player in the MLB and is already building a strong case for promotion to Triple-A.
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The Yankees are seeing Jasson Domgineuz take big steps forward:
Like many prospects, Dominguez experienced a rough start to the 2023 season. His April performance saw him hitting only .140 with a .380 OBP, hitting two home runs across 17 games.
However, his performance significantly improved over the 25 games in May. His batting average rose to .237 with a .353 OBP and .766 OPS. He hit five home runs, drove in 18 runs, and stole five bases.
Dominguez’s progress continued into June, opening the month with a .286 average, .474 OBP, and a .974 OPS, including one home run and five RBIs across four games. Despite the small sample size, he’s been outstanding in recent weeks and continues to display exceptional discipline at the plate.
“With the strike zone I feel comfortable,” Dominguez said two weeks ago. “ I recognize all the pitches and I’d say the only part that I’m missing are pitches there in the strike zone. I know that I’m not chasing pitches so that’s why I’m getting a lot of walks. I’m controlling the pitches in the strike zone.”
Indeed, Dominguez has made a significant leap in terms of his swing discipline and walk rate, boasting a .374 OBP for the season with a 116 wRC+.
Since the Yankees lack a solid left field starter moving forward, the hope is that “The Martian” can follow a trajectory similar to Anthony Volpe’s: gain some experience in Triple-A this year and then make the leap after a strong spring training.
With the centerfield position also uncertain, given Harrison Bader’s impending free agency, the Yankees will need one of their top prospects to step up and fill a starting role.