Jasson Dominguez’s story: Born with a Yankees dream, nurtured to play in Pinstripes

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With his debut in pinstripes on September 2 against the Astros, Jasson Dominguez put an end to all anticipations surrounding him. He immediately blasted none other than Justin Verlander to a 360-feet home run to showcase his baseball prodigy and make the best Yankees debut in four decades. However, the Martian’s Yankees dream began well before his birth.

Father Felix Dominguez recognized that his baseball skills were not at a professional level, let alone being worthy of becoming a part of the New York Yankees. However, he firmly believed that his son would achieve that dream one day. His intuition strongly pointed in that direction. On February 7, 2003, when the baby boy was born, he was given a name inspired by his father’s favorite Yankee player, not a typical Dominican or Latino name, but that of a powerful Californian slugger, Jason Giambi, who was the star first baseman for the Yankees at the time.

Jasson Dominguez born as a star

In the summer of 2002, Felix Dominguez and his wife, Dorka Gonzalez, received news that they were going to have another child. Anticipation filled the air as a baby boy was expected to join the family. This would be the fifth child in a family of six residing in Esperanza, a vibrant town in the Dominican Republic.

As soon as Felix received the news of impending fatherhood once more, a profound sense of purpose took root within him. He had a clear vision of what he wished his unborn son’s life to be. His heart had always belonged to baseball. He nurtured dreams of reaching the pinnacle of the sport, aspiring to don the uniform of his beloved team. While many in his region were ardent Red Sox fans, thanks to the legendary Big Papi, Felix remained unwaveringly loyal to the Yankees.

On the 7th of February, 2003, as the baby boy entered the world, he received a name in homage to his father’s beloved Yankee player, Jason Giambi, the powerful Californian slugger who, at the time, reigned as the star first baseman for the New York Yankees.

Fulfilling his father’s vision, Jasson Dominguez, with an additional ‘s’ in his first name, made his debut for the Yankees at the age of 20 years and just under three months. This achievement marked him as the youngest player for the franchise in almost four decades, proving Felix Dominguez’s intuition correct after two decades.

The Martian’s family was in Houston to cheer him

In a momentous occasion for Jasson Dominguez and his family, his parents and a host of relatives, including siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins, were in attendance at Minute Maid Park to witness the Yankees’ 6-2 victory over the Astros. Jasson did not disappoint, emulating the great Jason Giambi by hitting a two-run home run off Astros’ future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander in the very first inning of his debut game.

The sight of Jasson Dominguez’s family celebrating his home run was a heartwarming moment. His mother even stood up and danced in jubilation. Jasson Dominguez expressed that this was the realization of his lifelong dream, emphasizing the significance of having his family present for his debut game. In essence, this marked the successful fulfillment of his parents’ vision and plan.

Baseball in the crib

Felix Dominguez expressed his anticipation and excitement for his son’s debut, emphasizing that he had been envisioning this moment since the day Jasson was conceived in his mother’s womb. Jasson Dominguez’s mother shared the same sentiment. Dorka Gonzalez expressed her confidence in her son becoming a ballplayer when she was pregnant, as she told Ortiz.

According to the father, Jasson Dominguez was introduced to baseball at a very young age, even as an infant. Felix Dominguez mentioned that in Jasson’s crib, there was a bat, ball, and glove.

Jasson Dominguez displayed exceptional baseball talent from a tender age. Despite his compact build, he exhibited remarkable strength, agility, and speed. His rigorous daily training regimen began as early as eight years old, and by the age of 13, he had earned a spot in an esteemed baseball academy, even residing in its dormitories. By the time he turned 16, he had firmly established himself as the premier international amateur prospect in baseball.

On July 2, 2019, the Yankees made an unprecedented move by awarding Jasson Dominguez a contract worth $5.1 million, surpassing any previous sum they had offered to an amateur free agent.

The Yankees initially planned for Jasson Dominguez to commence his career in 2020, but due to COVID-19, his debut was delayed until 2021. Once he began playing in the organization last year, he rapidly ascended through the Yankees’ minor league system, progressing from Low-A Tampa to High-A Hudson Valley and ultimately to Double-A Somerset. During the current season, he primarily competed in Double-A, and his promotion to Triple-A occurred less than two weeks ago on August 22.

Jasson Dominguez anticipated completing the season with Scranton, but his outstanding performance in Triple-A, where he batted .419 and contributed 10 RBI in nine games, led to the Yankees’ decision to provide many of their top prospects at higher levels with regular playing opportunities in September.

Among the prospects who have been promoted, Jasson Dominguez holds the highest ranking, sitting at No. 2 in MLB Pipeline’s Yankees’ top 30 list. In his debut on Friday, he displayed the skills of a major leaguer, hitting an opposite-field home run in the first inning and consistently making hard contact, even though he recorded outs in his last three at-bats. Jasson Dominguez’s parents, watching from the stands, felt immense pride as they witnessed this remarkable night.

Dorka Gonzalez mentioned that ever since Jasson was very little, his goal had always been to reach this point.

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