Imagine how the Yankees’ hierarchy reacted when Jasson Dominguez went 4-for-5 against the Reds this week, offering the club a glimpse of what the Martian could someday be.
Actually, there’s no guesswork necessary. From GM Brian Cashman to manager Aaron Boone, all the way down to the quants in the Yankees’ analytics department, Dominguez had them all looking forward to a breakthrough in 2026.
Or maybe sooner.
The question is whether the Yankees will finally let Dominguez breathe this summer. That, or continue to parcel out his playing time in smaller, more cautious intervals.
My hunch has, until now, been Door No. 2. But maybe Wednesday’s performance was the breakthrough. Dominguez had two hits from both sides of the plate, raising his average to a season-high .253.
His defense is leftfield has upgraded from hold-your-breath to acceptable. That eliminates another roadblock.
All that stands in Dominguez’ way in the outfield is Trent Grisham’s Gold Glove-caliber work in center. And now that Giancarlo Stanton is back, that’ll leave fewer opportunities against left-handed pitching,
I took Dominguez’ predicament to a trusted scout, who reminded me of the kid’s most important stat.
“Jasson is only 22,” the talent evaluator said. “He’s developing at the big league level for the Yankees. That’s a tough task that he’s handled well so far.
“There’s more to come from him as he gains experience. If he finishes with a .250 average with 18 home runs that would be a good year for him.”
The Yankees would be thrilled if Dominguez crossed the finish line with those numbers. Remember, Wednesday’s game in Cincinnati aside, the switch-hitting Dominguez has been dealing with uneven production at the plate.
Even though he’s a natural right-handed hitter, Dominguez is batting only .200 with one home run in 70 at-bats on that side. Compare that to his output as a lefty, (.279, five HRs in 147 ABs) and you begin to hear the stats’ whisper: Dominguez should consider bagging switch-hitting.
“His swing is stiff from the right side, even though he has more power there,” the scout said. “But he doesn’t face enough (left-handed pitching) to improve his swing.”
There’s a precedent for this Catch-22. Back in 1991, the Yankees were developing a 22-year-old switch-hitting center fielder named Bernie Williams.
Like Dominguez today, Williams was a promising prospect – except he couldn’t hit lefties, either. With a .202 average, 53 points lower than his production from the left side, there was talk of turning Williams into a left-handed threat only.
Fortunately, that experiment never got off the ground. Williams’ proficiency balanced out in ’92, jump-starting a career saw him win a batting title in 1998, along with four Gold Gloves and four World Series rings.
Dominguez obviously has a long way to go before he’s earned the right to be compared to Williams. But the parallels don’t bother the legendary Yankee.
To the contrary, Williams took Dominguez under his wing in spring training and saw a bit of his early 90s self.
“We have similar games,” Williams said in a YES Network interview. “I think Jasson is very confident, very smart, and a very hard worker.”
Williams made note of Dominguez’ impending switch to left field and predicted, “he’s going to be able to make the adjustment. All he needs to keep getting his reps in batting practice and (spring training games.)”
The coast was clear until Grisham, a career .217 hitter, stunned the Yankees with a .292 average in April. Previously a fourth outfielder, Grisham was having the best start of his life coupled with Dominguez’ struggle with a new position.
With a .228 mark in the first month, in addition to his lack of playing time at the major league level, it suddenly made sense to slow-walk Dominguez – at least initially.
Lately, however, he and Grisham are passing each other in opposite directions. Grisham batted almost 70 points lower in May, and although he’s still the Yankees’ most graceful center fielder since Williams’ era, his average has sunk below Dominguez’.
That leaves the question of what’s next for Dominguez. But it’s not just Boone’s call. The rookie himself will have something to say about his playing time from here to October.
One thing is certain: Dominguez has a history of attacking goals like a junkyard dog looking for meat.
I was recently reminded by a member of the Yankees’ minor league English language program just how fast Dominguez, a native of the Dominican Republic, became fluent.
“Most of the (international) prospects who come through here, the goal is to have a working knowledge of English. That’s best case,” the official said. “But Jasson went way beyond that.
“He made up his mind he was going to speak English without a translator. And he did it in one year. That says a lot about his dedication.”
That’s enough for me to put my chips on Door No. 1.
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Bob Klapisch may be reached at bklapisch@njadvancemedia.com.
