The aura surrounding Yankees‘ Jasson Dominguez has dimmed significantly, transforming from the inevitability of a future superstar into a puzzling roster dilemma that Brian Cashman needs to solve immediately.
At just 22 years old, the switch-hitting outfielder finds himself at a career crossroads, teetering between being a foundational piece or a high-profile trade chip. The reality of his 2025 season was a sobering bucket of cold water, as he played his way out of the starting lineup and watched Trent Grisham—a defensive specialist with a light bat—take his job.
Obviously, Grisham went on to have a big offensive year and accepted the $22 million qualifying offer.
While Dominguez managed to stay on the field for 123 games, the production simply didn’t match the hype that has followed him since he was 16. He slashed a pedestrian .257/.331/.388 with only 10 home runs and 47 RBIs, resulting in a wRC+ of 103 that labeled him as barely league-average offensively. For a player whose calling card was supposed to be “generational” talent, posting a 0.6 WAR and striking out nearly 27% of the time is a tough sell for a team in championship-or-bust mode.
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Defense That Is Frankly Hard to Watch
If the offensive numbers were underwhelming, the defensive metrics were downright catastrophic. Dominguez looked lost in the expansive outfield of Yankee Stadium, posting -7 defensive runs saved and a staggering -10 outs above average over 793 innings. You simply cannot hide a defender that porous on a team that prides itself on run prevention, especially when you have superior options waiting in the wings.
The defensive liabilities effectively force the Yankees to view him as a designated hitter or a left fielder who needs to be subbed out late in games, which cripples roster flexibility. It is becoming increasingly clear why Cashman seems hesitant to hand him a starting job for 2026. If he cannot catch the ball and isn’t mashing enough to justify the errors, his path to everyday playing time in the Bronx is nearly blocked.
The Platoon Reality and the Spencer Jones Shadow
To make matters worse, the “switch-hitter” label is doing a lot of heavy lifting for a player who is currently only viable from one side of the plate. Dominguez was effective against right-handed pitching with a .274 average, but he was abysmal against lefties, hitting just .204. That split profiles him as a strict platoon player right now, which is not what you expect from a top prospect.
Meanwhile, Spencer Jones is looming large in the rearview mirror, offering the kind of legitimate 30-home run power and centerfield defense that the Yankees crave. Jones comes with his own strikeout concerns, but his ceiling feels significantly higher than the version of Dominguez we just watched. If the Yankees extend Cody Bellinger as expected, it sets up a cage match between Jones and Dominguez for the fourth outfielder spot, a battle Dominguez might not be equipped to win.
Looking Ahead: Trade Him Before the Secret Is Out?
The smartest play for Cashman might be to move Dominguez now while his name value still holds some weight across the league. If he enters a position battle with Jones in Spring Training and loses, his trade value will plummet to rock bottom. The Yankees have too many outfield questions to bank on a player who has shown us he might just be a platoon bat with bad defense, and flipping him for pitching might be the mercy kill this experiment needs.