Dominguez achieved league-average results at the plate in his first full season in the MLB. Before last season, he was widely considered New York’s top prospect. Given his pedigree, Dominguez is likely overqualified as a fourth outfielder. Jones is likely due for a call-up after launching 35 home runs in Double-A and Triple-A last season, but adding him to the roster without a clear role could hinder his development.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com had the Yankees trading for Jones when he outlined one trade candidate for each team. Feinsand’s colleague Bryan Hoch named Dominguez and Jones pop up in trade talks if the team secures one of Bellinger or Tucker. Let’s explore those possibilities.
Trade Dominguez, keep Jones
Dominguez made his debut in 2023 and immediately made an impact with four home runs in eight games. His season was cut short by a UCL injury that ultimately required Tommy John surgery. Recovery from the procedure limited Dominguez to 76 games between the minors and majors in 2024. He was a regular for the Yankees last season, patrolling left field for most of the year while also spending time at DH. The results on the record were… fine. Dominguez posted a 103 wRC+ as a 22-year-old and finished with 10 home runs and 23 stolen bases.
Dominguez’s biggest concern was on the field. He posted a miserable -10 outs above average and -7 defensive runs saved. Dominguez finished with a Fielding Run Value of -9, which was the 16th worst mark among all qualified fielders. New York was able to hide Dominguez at DH at times last season, but in a healthy way Giancarlo Stanton will make that difficult.
Despite the defensive shortcomings, Dominguez has shown enough at the plate to earn a significant return in a trade. He would be the best move and potentially bring back assets that could immediately contribute to the big league roster.
Trade Jones, keep Dominguez
Jones has the type of profile that makes him both an attractive trade chip and a sell-high candidate. He was a major leaguer in 2022 and has put up offensive production in each pro season. Jones reached Double-A in late 2023 and dominated the level when he repeated in 2024. The big lefty hit 17 home runs and stole 25 in 122 games with Somerset. Jones found himself back with the Patriots to start this past season. He posted a silly 185 wRC+ to eventually move to Triple-A, where he hit 19 home runs in 67 games.
While the minor league production is great, spending so much time at Double-A is a red flag, and it appears to be related to Jones’ contact issues. Since 2023, he has had a strikeout rate of at least 28.2% at every stop. Jones struck out more than a third of the time in 2024. Even when he was racking up home runs with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Jones had an inflated strikeout rate of 36.6%.
By trading Jones, the Yankees could cash in on his huge power season and avoid rolling the dice on whether he’ll make enough contact to succeed as a big leaguer. Of course, probing teams would be aware of Jones’ main flaw, but perhaps his pedigree and recent performance would be enough to overlook the swing-and-miss in his game. The return in a transaction would be attractive, although it might be necessary to acquire assets with their own question marks.
Keep Dominguez and Jones
It’s hard to imagine this scenario if New York ends up landing Bellinger or Tucker, but those players will have plenty of suitors. The Yankees could focus on bullpen upgrades on the free agent market instead of additions on the offensive end. Jones has only played outfield and DH in his minor league career, so there aren’t many ways to fit both players into the lineup. Jones repeating Triple-A as a 25-year-old could be taken as an admission of his lack of MLB viability, so it probably makes sense to let him fail at the highest level.
Platooning the switch-hitting Dominguez and the left-swinging Jones stands out as a potential option, but the problem is the former’s struggles from the right side. Dominguez hit just .204 against lefties last season. He was much more productive as a left-handed hitter. Stanton has battled injuries for most of his career, so he’s probably not equipped to handle everyday DH at-bats at this stage. The Yankees could find plenty of reps in left field and DH for both Dominguez and Jones, though neither would be a full-time player.
Even if New York keeps both players this offseason, they could still make a move as the year progresses. Finding a trade partner when teams are dealing with injuries and underperformance should be an easier task.
Photo courtesy of Gregory Fisher, Imagn Images
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