The Yankees re-signed Cody Bellinger on a five-year $162.5 million contract, which completes their outfield by giving them one of the best left fielders in the game.
It also squeezes Jasson Dominguez out of a starting spot as the Yankees suddenly have all three outfield spots occupied again, but what does that mean for the young outfielder?
On a team with a scarcity of right-handed bats, the fit for the Martian on this club is a bit head-scratching especially in a fourth outfield role where he’d essentially await Giancarlo Stanton’s next IL trip.
New York would be better-served with a right-handed hitting outfielder as it’s first-man-up in case of injury, and all signs point towards the team needing to move on from their former top prospect.
READ MORE: The Yankees feature four prospects on Baseball America’s 2026 top 100
Jasson Dominguez Is The Wrong Player For the Yankees’ Bench Holes
It’s a calm day in 2023, and I’m in Binghamton watching the Somerset Patriots take on the Rumble Ponies, and not a single fan could take their eyes off of Jasson Dominguez when he was at the plate.
The switch-hitting outfielder was the crown jewel of the Yankees’ farm system, playing alongside guys like Ben Rice and Austin Wells but being considered better than both by a country mile.
Fast-forward today, and Dominguez’s stock has fallen to a point where the team hasn’t really made an attempt to give him the keys to the franchise.
Part of that is the sudden breakout of Trent Grisham alongside the emergence of Cody Bellinger, both of whom outperformed Dominguez last year and project to be more valuable in 2026 as well.
On the surface having four capable outfielders isn’t a bad thing with Giancarlo Stanton as the DH, who is often injured and needs rest days, but Jasson Dominguez is not the player you should cast in that role for this roster.
The Yankees would be better-suited with a right-handed hitting outfielder as the guy who can replace Giancarlo Stanton when he’s hurt, which is what Austin Hays would be.
He’s likely not going to command a large contract and could sign a one-year $4 million deal for example, which would fit into the team’s budget as they head into Spring Training.
Last season Hays produced a .949 OPS against southpaws and produced +1 OAA and 0 FRV in 501.1 innings in the outfield, he’s not a great defender but he’s more than capable of making the routine plays.
When everyone’s healthy he still plays a vital role as the team can put Cody Bellinger in centerfield and Austin Hays in left against Garrett Crochet or Tarik Skubal.
It seems insignificant, but having Hays take at-bats for Grisham against lefties is a big deal especially in the postseason where every single game has heightened importance.
This could also open up a deal where Jasson Dominguez could fetch you an impart arm for your rotation or bullpen depending on what’s available and how teams view him.
Would you rather have Austin Hays and a good reliever on the 2026 Yankees or Dominguez? It’s a question that has a pretty obvious answer when you look at the roster’s composition.