NEW YORK — The Yankees sent their top prospect to the Dominican Republic with a simple mission. Get at-bats. Improve against left-handed pitching. Come back ready to compete for a starting job.
Jasson Dominguez is doing none of those things.
The 22-year-old nicknamed “The Martian” has crashed back to Earth in Winter League play. He is batting .184 with zero home runs through 11 games for Leones del Escogido. His slugging percentage sits at .263. His OPS is a paltry .568.
The numbers are alarming. The timing is worse. And the Yankees have no Plan B ready to deploy.
Winter League paints an ugly Dominguez picture
Dominguez has logged 46 plate appearances in the Dominican Winter League. He has managed just seven hits. Three went for extra bases. None left the yard.
His slash line reads .184/.304/.263. The on-base percentage has been propped up by seven walks. He has struck out nine times. He has driven in three runs and scored two.
The purpose of winter ball was to address his platoon splits. Dominguez batted just .204 against left-handed pitching during the 2025 season. Only one of his 10 home runs came off a southpaw. He needed reps from the right side of the plate.
Instead, he is struggling against all pitching.
Boone expressed confidence before struggles began
Aaron Boone talked up Dominguez in early November, shortly after the season ended. The manager pointed to his ceiling. He acknowledged the rough patches but remained optimistic about the young outfielder’s future.
“I still really like his ceiling,” Boone said. “I think he did a lot of really good things this year. But again, you’ve got to see where the winter takes you and what the roster looks like. I expect him to be a regular player for us.”
Boone also discussed the need for Dominguez to improve against left-handed pitching. He attributed the struggles to a lack of experience.
“I think a lot of that has to do with his lack of experience,” Boone said. “Being a very young man, he hasn’t played a ton of Minor League seasons, just with different injuries and stuff. Where has that affected him the most? The right side of the plate, where you get less at-bats.”
Winter ball was supposed to provide those at-bats. The results have not followed.
Disappointing 2025 season preceded the winter struggles
Dominguez finished his first full MLB season with a .257/.331/.388 slash line. He hit 10 home runs and drove in 47 runs across 429 plate appearances. Those numbers are acceptable for a 22-year-old. They are not what the Yankees expected from the player once compared to Mickey Mantle.
The second half was worse. Dominguez posted a .618 OPS after the All-Star break. He homered just four times after May. He collected only 13 extra-base hits during that stretch.
The decline led to benchings. Trent Grisham took over regular playing time down the stretch. Dominguez appeared in just 13 games in September, logging only 17 at-bats.
His only postseason at-bat came in the ninth inning of the Yankees’ final game. He doubled off Blue Jays reliever Jeff Hoffman. It was not enough to change the narrative.
Defense added to the concerns
The struggles went beyond the batter’s box. Dominguez played mostly left field in 2025. He had spent his minor league career in center. The transition was rocky.
He finished with minus-10 Outs Above Average. That ranked in the second percentile among all MLB outfielders. His routes were poor. His instincts failed him. His arm remained elite, ranking in the 92nd percentile for strength, but it could not save the overall package.
The five-tool prospect label that followed Dominguez since he signed for $5.1 million at age 16 no longer applies. The defensive metrics say he is not a center fielder. The offensive numbers say he cannot handle lefties.
Yankees’ outfield situation grows more complicated
The Yankees are counting on Dominguez as a backup option if they cannot sign Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker. Jazz Chisholm will man second base. Aaron Judge will patrol right field. Grisham is set for center.
That leaves left field open. Bellinger is the preferred target. Tucker would work. Without either, the Yankees would turn to Dominguez or Spencer Jones.
Jones, 24, mashed 35 home runs in the minors last season. He has power. He also has a concerningly high strikeout rate and unproven defense. Neither internal option inspires confidence for a team chasing championships.
Chisholm and the rest of the lineup need reinforcements. The offense collapsed in the postseason. Judge cannot carry the team alone. The Yankees need production from left field, whoever plays there.
Dominguez trade value takes a hit
A few years ago, Dominguez was untouchable. The Yankees refused to include him in trade discussions. His ceiling was too high. His tools were too tantalizing.
That has changed. Recent trade proposals have linked Dominguez to deals for starting pitching. The Marlins have been mentioned as a potential partner. The asking price for Dominguez has dropped significantly.
The Winter League struggles make things worse. A .568 OPS does not boost a player’s trade value. Teams will see the numbers and lower their offers.
Dominguez is still just 22 years old. He has time to develop. His plate discipline remains solid. His speed ranks in the 84th percentile. He stole 23 bases in 2025, second only to Chisholm on the team.
But the clock is ticking. The Yankees want to win now. Chisholm, Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are not getting younger. The window is open. Dominguez needs to walk through it.
Winter ball was supposed to help him prepare. Instead, it has created more questions than answers.
What do you think?
