Spring Training Insights from Bradenton
BRADENTON, Fla. — Yason Dominguez took to the field for his first two at-bats of the spring season against left-handed pitchers on Monday.
Currently, the key focus for the outfielder is gaining experience against left-handed hitters. While there’s still progress to be made on the right side of his swing, it’s crucial for him to get these reps at this stage.
“I think it mostly comes down to experience,” said manager Aaron Boone, prior to the Yankees’ 6-2 victory against the Pirates at Lecombe Park. “Young players developing in the system often find their right-handed skills lagging due to a lack of left-handed pitching available. I’m hopeful he’ll improve as he sees more opportunities, but it can be a challenge.”
Earlier in the game, Dominguez hit an RBI double off a right-hander, but then struck out in both attempts against lefties, facing tough relief pitcher Gregory Soto in his first matchup.
While Dominguez shows natural strength from the right side, he had a rough season last year, hitting just .204 with a .569 OPS over 325 at-bats from the left side.
His situation is complicated further by the Yankees’ current roster, which is packed with left-handed players. If everyone remains healthy, Dominguez faces some competition, especially with right-handed backup outfielders also in the mix.
Boone aims to arrange more at-bats against left-handers for Dominguez throughout spring training, but this poses some logistical challenges. Typically, teams finalize their pitching plans the night before, while Boone prefers to set the lineup a few days ahead of time to give players more work.
Regarding Oswaldo Cabrera’s return, Boone noted he’s been encouraged by Cabrera’s recent performance after recovering from a broken ankle and torn ligament suffered last May. He still requires some additional training to ensure he’s fully ready.
“Visually, it seems like he’s nearing his peak explosiveness again,” Boone observed. “He’s dedicated to his baseball activities, and we’re just waiting for the trainers to give the green light on when he can play.”
On another note, JC Escala is set to make his spring debut against the Blue Jays after a brief delay related to a knee injury he sustained during the Dominican Winter League.
“We’re ensuring he’s fully prepared at every position,” Boone remarked, adding that Escala has been doing well in recent weeks.
Ryan Yarbrough also made his spring debut against the Pirates, throwing two innings, with 44 pitches, yielding one run and striking out four batters.
“Everything felt good,” Yarbrough commented. “The cutter was working well, and we focused on execution. There’s always room for improvement, but overall, things moved well and we’ll build from this.”
