The Yankees didn’t plan on creating an outfield traffic jam this winter, but that’s exactly where things are heading. Trent Grisham taking the one-year, $22 million qualifying offer changed the entire picture, and Cody Bellinger remaining the Yankees’ top free agent priority only tightens the knot.
Add Spencer Jones banging on the door, and suddenly Jasson Dominguez, once treated as a future cornerstone, is staring at a depth chart that’s getting crowded fast.
A logjam formed quicker than expected
The Yankees thought Grisham would decline the offer and chase a multi-year deal elsewhere. Instead, he locked in for 2026, keeping last year’s surprise breakout bat in the mix after hitting .235/.348/.464 with 34 homers. Even with his steep defensive decline in center field, he brings value as a left-handed power bat, and manager Aaron Boone always liked the edge Grisham brought.
But his return wasn’t supposed to overlap this directly with the team’s plans to retain Bellinger, who remains the front-office priority because of his elite versatility and steady production. The expectation is still that the Yankees will push hard for a long-term deal, and that decision alone would account for two, if not three, outfield spots on any given night.
That’s where the squeeze begins for Dominguez.
Dominguez is talented, but incomplete
There’s no denying the offensive upside. Dominguez has real juice from the left side, and his short, violent swing generates the type of carry that fits perfectly at Yankee Stadium. But the problem is everything else.
Dominguez hasn’t fixed his right-handed swing, making him a below-average hitter against lefties and slotting him more into a platoon profile than a full-time starter right now. The Yankees aren’t blind to that, and it affects how they project his role.
The defense hasn’t helped his case either. Dominguez has the athletic traits to handle center field, but the reads, the jumps, and the consistency haven’t matched the tools. That’s a tough sell for a team that values defensive stability, especially with the full-time responsibilities that come with center at Yankee Stadium.
Spencer Jones changes the equation
Meanwhile, Jones is blasting open a lane for himself. The Yankees see him as a future everyday outfielder with real center field potential, elite speed, and power that keeps climbing. He profiles as the type of player the organization eventually wants patrolling center every day.
Jones isn’t without his issues, though. His high strikeout and whiff rates are problematic and need improvement, but he has time on his side.
If Bellinger returns and Jones earns his way onto the roster by mid-season, Dominguez gets pushed down the depth chart fast. Even with Grisham shifting to a corner role and likely taking fewer center field reps, there may not be enough innings to satisfy everyone.
Could Dominguez become a trade chip?
It’s a question the Yankees never expected to ask this soon, but the numbers don’t lie. There are too many outfielders, too many roster guarantees, and too many players who simply offer more consistency right now.
Dominguez still has enormous value because of his age, switch-hitting profile, and remaining projection. Teams would line up for the chance to develop him properly, especially ones willing to give him the runway he probably won’t receive in the Bronx.
If the Yankees need a frontline starter, bullpen help, or additional infield stability with Anthony Volpe expected to miss early 2026 recovery time, Dominguez could become the centerpiece of a bigger move.
The next few months could define his future
The Yankees didn’t create this outfield surplus intentionally, but they also won’t ignore what it means. If Grisham plays every day. If Bellinger re-signs. If Jones forces his way in. If Aaron Judge stays locked into right field where he belongs.
Then where exactly does Dominguez fit?
A year ago, the answer felt obvious. Today, the organization faces a more complicated reality. The talent is still there, but the opportunity might not be.
And if the Yankees sense that his long-term path is blocked, they might eventually treat Dominguez the same way they once treated other young, high-value talents: as the piece that helps them solve a bigger problem elsewhere.