Jasson Domínguez’s Season Progress
For Jasson Domínguez, his first full season in the majors hasn’t felt as drastically different as some might think.
While the Yankees may not require his contributions urgently, they’ve certainly benefited from the steady play he’s offered, particularly as he works on honing his impressive skill set. As of Thursday, the 22-year-old is batting .253, boasting a .738 OPS and leading the team with 12 stolen bases.
Although his home run bat has been somewhat quiet—it’s been over a month since he last homered—he still manages to be cautiously productive. “I’m just happy… he’s been consistently solid for us,” said coach Dominguez after he recorded his first career four-hit game during a 7-1 victory over the Reds on Wednesday.
“He hasn’t set the world on fire, but we all recognize he provides quality at-bats each time he’s at the plate. You can see his speed and athleticism shine through, especially in the running game.”
This season, Domínguez has faced challenges, particularly when transitioning from center field to left due to some struggles in spring training. Though the left field situation could feel precarious at times, he has largely been serviceable through his 80 games this season.
The Yankees have accepted some of the growing pains that come with Dominguez’s development in left field, knowing the impact he has on the lineup.
At the beginning of the season, he took ownership of the plate appearances from the right side. He started slow, hitting just 3-for-36 (.083) with a .381 OPS and 16 strikeouts against left-handed pitchers by May 5. However, he’s rebounded since then, achieving a .324 average with an .856 OPS and just seven strikeouts against lefties.
“I’ve been having better at-bats from the right side,” Dominguez noted. “I feel like I’m improving. The more you practice, the better you get.”
Currently, there isn’t a solid right-handed backup for him in left field, and it’s uncertain whether the Yankees will bolster the lineup before the trade deadline. Yet, if Domínguez continues his recent success against left-handed pitchers, they might not need to make a move.
As the team continues to utilize a rotation in the outfield, Boone has been incorporating him into lineups more frequently, especially with right-handed matchups. This is partly due to Dominguez’s impressive performance, with 171 plate appearances as a left-handed hitter, where he’s recorded a .279 batting average and a .798 OPS, with five of his six home runs coming off righties.
“He’s still developing,” Boone said, “but he gives us quality at-bats. It’s all about gaining experience.”
Despite occasional setbacks—like the time he lost track of strikes and ended a rally in Boston earlier this month—the Yankees appreciate how well the highly-touted prospect has managed the ups and downs of his rookie season.
“I’ve been quite impressed by his ability to adapt, especially as a younger player,” Max Fried commented. Meanwhile, Jazz Chisholm Jr. expressed confidence in Domínguez’s potential. “I think we’ll soon see even more of the Martian. He’s only 22; I believe he has something special.”
As for his power surge, Domínguez nearly broke his drought on Wednesday but settled for a double off the center field wall. His last home run was on May 21, a walk-off against the Rangers.
“I mentioned to someone recently that it felt like I hadn’t hit a home run in a while,” Dominguez recalled. “But I’m not fixating on that; I focus on getting good at-bats and getting my teammates on base. I know the home runs will come.”
