SPANISH HARLEM – At this point in Spring Training to we know who the starting outfield will be. The New York Yankees resigned Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger to man the outfield with Aaron Judge. Giancarlo Stanton is also an outfielder but due to his elbow issues and health, he is exclusively a DH, which brings me to my next point: What will the Yankees do with Jasson Dominguez? No onesome really knows right now but they two options, so lets discuss them now.
4th Outfielder (My Choice)
Let me start by saying that Dominguez has earned the right to play in the major leagues every day. The talent is there but he wasn’t given a big enough leash, unlike someone that plays shortstop that will not be named. Trent Grisham wasn’t considered the everyday centerfielder last season like he is today, so it was expected that Dominguez would play a lot. We all know how that turned out, with Grisham having a breakout year, it was hard for Aaron Boone to play Dominguez consistently. That leads to a reduced role for a high-level prospect this season.
The good news is that he is still young enough to endure a reduced role while also getting at bats against quality pitchers. It’s important to rotate him into the lineup whenever possible so that he can get comfortable in his new role. Also, you want him around the major league club because of the people around him, which can provide advice and guidance on how to be ready when your name is called. This could be a learning experience for him and could be beneficial to his long-term future.
Go Back to The Minors
Rumors are that this will be the most likely plan for Dominguez, as the Yankees intend or should I say expect to add a righty bat to the outfield. It is no secret that he is better from the left side of the plate and leaves a lot to be desired from the right side. While going to the minors could be seen as a demotion, he would be playing every day and could plug back on the major league roster should injuries arise. He needs every day at bats, and he won’t get that with the Yankees this season. They have gone all in with Grisham and for better or worse, he will play every day.
Can he go to minors and work on righty swing? Sure. But will it help when the best pitchers in the world are in the major leagues? That is the tough question to be had by Boone and the front office. I don’t think it will do him any favors playing against lesser talent but if it was my guess, the Yankees add a righty bat to the outfield and Dominguez is back to Triple-A. Not to my liking but it seems like the writings on the wall for Jasson.
That’s it for now, please come back tomorrow for more great content from Jackson Sternberg.
