Tampa – Jasson Dominguez's quest to win the Yankees' left field job began with style.
On the first day of full squad training, you'll need more than a home run in live batting practice to lock your first role, but Dominguez took Carlos Rodon deeper from the right on Monday to make him a chance It reminded me of sex.
Now he needs to follow it.
“The pressure is there, but everyone is motivated to be the player I'm looking for,” the long-standing outlook, who just turned 22, said on Monday.
Of what needs to be seen from Dominguez this spring, the Yankees are better defense on the left field than he showed later last season after moving out of center later last season.
He has filmed flyballs on the left field at the club's player development complex for the past two weeks, and will host a six-week spring training runway to adapt to all angles and complexity of the position.
“My idea is to continue working on the reading material on the left field and try to get more familiar with it,” Dominguez said. “I feel pretty good now.”
Dominguez also struggled offensively last season with a small sample size of 18 major games, hitting just .179 with a .617 OPS. It was very different from his Red Hot debut in September 2023, before he had surgery for Tommy John.
The switch hitter said last year he felt “lost” from the right side, but spent it back in rhythm in the offseason.
“I think over time he'll be a real factor from both sides of the plate,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He's probably left-handed now. The results suggest that, but that's a pretty small sample for a young man in his career.”
In the meantime, Dominguez is expected to share the outfield this year as the rocker sits between Judge Aaron and Cody Bellinger.
“Me and Bellinger were joking with him. “'If you go out there and do your own thing, something special will happen,” we definitely joined him, Make sure you become a good resource and be a great mentor for him. But he has a big head on his shoulder. ”
Boone has no plans to play Austin Wells in the first week or so of the Grapefruitreeg match.
“Really, how much stretch he played and never got down,” Boone said. “The amount of games he played in the second half, of course, was a bit banged at times, but overall it's pretty good. After that, it clearly gets a bit shorter in the offseason. He's great. I think you're doing everything you need to be in the place and be ready.”
Rodon threw 42 pitches to three “UPS” in live batting practice on Monday. …The Yankees added the 71st player to Big League Camp on Monday, inviting left-handed reliever Rob Zastrizney to spring training on a minor league contract. The 32-year-old, who owns an ERA 4.30 career for parts of six big league seasons, will offer another option for left-handed relief along with Tim Hill and non-roster invitation Tyler Matzek.
