Jasson Domínguez’s performance in the postseason epitomized what the Yankees think of the young outfielder.
For the second time in a row, Domínguez barely came off the bench when it mattered most, but unlike their 2024 World Series series, the 22-year-old at least got an at-bat in these playoffs.
It was a pinch-hit, rocket double from the left side going 110 mph.
But it followed a wild-card series and ALDS in which Domínguez barely played a role, and that came after a September in which he was an afterthought, with just 20 plate appearances in the entire month.
The Yankees say he is an important part of their future and is still the youngest player on their 40-man roster, but at some point Domínguez has to live up to expectations.
And as we head into this offseason, even the Yankees have no idea if that will be the case.
“I expect him to be right in that mix to be that guy,” Aaron Boone said this week. “I still really like his ceiling. But again, you have to see where winter takes you and what the roster looks like. However, I expect him to be a regular player for us.”
According to Boone, the situation in the Yankees’ outfield is subject to change. Trent Grisham is a free agent after proving to be a power threat as an everyday centerfielder, and Cody Bellinger is expected to opt out of his contract to hit the open market after a stellar season in The Bronx.
Boone said he expected Domínguez to play winter ball this offseason and work in left field, but if the Yankees don’t bring back Bellinger or Grisham, it seems hard to believe they would trust Domínguez to play left field regularly given his shortcomings at the position.
He played primarily center in the minors, though Boone noted he didn’t have many minor league games due to injuries and the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
Still, of the 19 outfielders who played at least 790 innings last season, none had a worse defensive saved rating than Domínguez’s minus-7, according to Fangraphs.
And his minus-10 outs above average were the worst among 34 outfielders, according to Baseball Savant.
“Certainly, left field remains a work in progress. I think he’s made tremendous progress there.”
Scouts were less impressed with his growth defensively.
“I don’t see a guy who’s comfortable there, and Yankee Stadium isn’t the place you want someone figuring it out,” one AL scout said.
With the Yankees also having a question mark at center, it’s difficult to know where Domínguez will end up, but Boone said the team continues to like his arm strength, speed and athleticism, and believes the work he’s put into improving that part of his game will pay off.
But the other problem is that while Domínguez has shown he can be dangerous from the left side of the pitch, he struggles from the right.
He had just a .569 OPS and one home run in 104 at-bats as a right-handed hitter, striking out 34 times.
“He’s done a lot of good things this year,” Boone said. “We all see his ability at the plate. He didn’t hit with a lot of power, but there is power in all fields from both sides of the plate… He has the opportunity to really hit and be a good defender. And we saw the impact he can have on the base paths. This season has clearly shown us that we can still dream further [him].”
But until that dream becomes a reality, the Yankees will have a hard time simply giving him an everyday spot.
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