ORLANDO, Fla. -- Jasson Domínguez earned praise for maintaining a positive attitude while spending most of October on the bench, remaining engaged and supportive as the Yankees played their most important games of the season.
Now, as the Yankees navigate the Winter Meetings and pursue a potential reunion with Cody Bellinger, they’re also considering a scenario where “The Martian” finally claims a starting role.
“If Spring Training started today, he’d be our left fielder,” general manager Brian Cashman said at the Signia by Hilton Orlando. “He’d be in a competition; Spencer Jones would try to take his shot at the title. But I think it’s easy to think that by default -- since Domínguez was here last year, where he’s at in his progression -- he would be the odds-on favorite.”
As Cashman noted, the Yankees won’t be stretching on the grass some 75 miles southwest for another couple of months, so plenty can change. Still, the Yankees believe Domínguez -- a celebrated prospect who received a $5.1 million signing bonus in July 2019 -- can restore some of his dimmed prospect luster.
That didn’t happen during a 2025 season in which Domínguez was squeezed out of playing time, particularly in the second half. As a result, the Yankees sent Domínguez to the Dominican Winter League, providing a checklist of tasks as he logged additional at-bats and defensive reps with Escogido.
Domínguez didn’t light it up statistically, notching seven hits in 38 at-bats (.184) with three doubles, but the Yankees received positive reports.
“It was a small sample down there,” manager Aaron Boone said, “but I think just going down there and playing in that environment and getting some at-bats, continuing to play … I think it's good to go do that.”
A switch-hitter who turns 23 in February, Domínguez’s swing has lagged from the right side, producing a .530 OPS in 118 Major League at-bats across the past three seasons.
Cashman said it is a “fair question” if Domínguez will improve against lefties. Boone attributes the issue to a lack of development opportunities; Domínguez has dealt with recovery from Tommy John surgery and lost a Minor League season to the COVID-19 pandemic, both of which stalled his progress.
“We're talking about a very, very young player that didn't play a ton of Minor League baseball, and what suffers from that? The side you don't hit from as much,” Boone said. “He's a natural right-handed hitter. I don't think it's out of the question that at some point that right-handed [swing] catches up to the left side.”
Even so, Domínguez doesn’t figure to be an immediate solution to the GM’s concern that the lineup is “without a doubt” too left-handed dominant.
Then there’s the matter of Domínguez’s defense, which has been a work in progress for more than a year, a pet project of Bombers coach Luis Rojas that has spilled into the winter.
Domínguez’s transition has taken longer than some expected, considering scouts rated him as a capable -- if not outstanding - center fielder early in his professional career.
The Yankees tried to shift Domínguez to left field down the stretch in September 2024 before returning Alex Verdugo to a starting role for the playoffs. In ’25, Bellinger’s excellence on both sides of the ball again left Domínguez on the outside looking in.
“There's still a long ways to go in that improvement,” Boone said. “It's still fairly new for him. Even in Spring Training, the difference of him in February compared to April compared to June, there were really big strides.
“His athleticism is a real calling card for him, as far as his speed and arm strength and things like that. And you hope that eventually wins the day and eventually gets him to the point where, ‘Wow, he's getting really good out there.’ He's still got a lot of development to do in that regard.”
It’s interesting, then, that Bellinger will again play a role in determining how the Yankees proceed with Domínguez.
Should Bellinger re-sign or if the Yankees pivot to another option like Kyle Tucker, Domínguez and Jones could both be dangled in the “challenge trades” Cashman has referenced, where significant talent moves in both directions.
But if Bellinger signs elsewhere -- and agent Scott Boras portrayed a wide and healthy market for his services Tuesday -- it might just create the opportunity Domínguez needs.
“Obviously we like and we’re very high on Domínguez and what he brings to the table,” Cashman said. “I think there’s a lot more to come.”