Yankees rookie sensation Jasson Dominguez cherishes the day when he met team captain Aaron Judge for the first time in February. It was inside the spring training clubhouse of the New York Yankees in Tampa and their first encounter is a tale to remember for MLB fans.
It was a compact room with a few tables and a buffet-style spread for players, coaches, and staff gathered for breakfast and lunch. During their encounter, Jasson Dominguez, Aaron Judge, and a few other players shared a meal and engaged in casual conversation. As they wrapped up their meals around the same time, Aaron Judge noticed that there were only scraps remaining on Jasson Dominguez’s plate. Despite the significant age difference (Judge being 11 years older) and the captain’s recent $360 million contract signing, he took the prospect’s plate and disposed of it along with his own as he left the room.
This seemingly small act carried immense significance for Jasson Dominguez, affectionately known as “The Martian.” He shared that the act of Aaron Judge amazed him and when he told his family that “Judge took my plate,” they also expressed their surprise at this.
Jasson Dominguez left in awe by Aaron Judge
During spring training and his brief time in the major leagues this year, Jasson Dominguez pointed out that one of the most striking aspects was Aaron Judge’s role as a leader.
When reminded of this incident, Aaron Judge chuckled softly. He emphasized the sense of unity among the team, stating, “We’re all in this together.” The Yankees captain also mentioned that he had covered the expenses for rookie shortstop Anthony Volpe’s first road trip suits shortly before Opening Day.
Aaron Judge mentioned that he had intended to leave as he had a prior commitment. However, upon noticing that Jasson Dominguez had finished, he decided to assist by taking care of the task. The AL MVP stated that he had always tried to offer such help, as others had done for him in the past. He emphasized the team’s unity, explaining that it didn’t matter whether a player was in High A, Low A, or had just been drafted; they were all part of the team.
According to Aaron Judge:
“I was getting up, and I had somewhere to be, but I saw (Jasson Dominguez) was done, so it was just, ‘I’m heading this way anyway. Let me take this for you, man. Hang out here.’ I think there were a couple of other guys with us, too. I don’t know. I’ve always tried to do that. Other guys have done that for me. We’re a team. It doesn’t matter if he’s in High A or Low A or just got drafted. You’re still wearing the pinstripes. You’re still wearing the ‘NY’ logo. You’re still part of this team. At some point, we’re going to be teammates.”
Indeed, Aaron Judge and Jasson Dominguez found themselves as actual teammates during this season, albeit for a mere eight games. With an eye on the 2024 season, while enduring a dismal 2023 campaign that had the Yankees languishing in last place, they made the decision to call up Jasson Dominguez along with their top-catching prospect, Austin Wells, on September 1st.
The young center fielder made an immediate impact, impressing with a .258 batting average (8-for-31), four home runs, seven RBIs, and an impressive .980 OPS. Notably, Jasson Dominguez hit a home run in his very first MLB at-bat, mirroring Aaron Judge’s achievement in 2016.
However, a torn UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) in his right elbow prematurely concluded Jasson Dominguez’s season. He’s scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery to reconstruct the ligament on Wednesday, and it’s possible that he won’t share the field with Judge again until his full recovery, which is expected sometime in June or July. Despite the brevity of his time in the majors, this brief interaction with Aaron Judge will be a cherished memory in Jasson Dominguez’s eventful season.
Jasson Dominguez expressed his admiration and appreciation for Aaron Judge, saying that he didn’t anticipate him to do that.
“That for me was awesome,” the rookie said. “I didn’t know he was going to do that. He’s the captain. He’s the guy. He’s so good.”
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