Jasson Domínguez went off on Friday, and his hot start to spring training has the Yankees hoping for a career breakout that has never come.
Batting out of the two-hole during New York’s 17-5 win over the Twins, Domínguez went 3-for-4, with a home run, two singles, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Through four spring games, the 23-year-old outfielder is slashing .417/.429/.833, with that home run, two doubles, five RBIs, and a walk. It’s early, but those results are promising.
Everyone wants to write off Jasson Dominguez, but don’t forget this guy is only 23 years old!
— Baseball Unstitched (@BaseUnstitched) February 27, 2026
His first HR of the spring!
111 mph EV 🔥
373 ft.
21° LA pic.twitter.com/2LkTVX8Ij3
Once a top prospect dripping with elite tools, Domínguez has yet to find his footing at the major league level. In 2025, he was able to get regular playing time in the Yankees’ lineup but his production didn’t live up to his ability.
In 123 games last season, he slashed .257/.331/.388, with 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, and 115 strikeouts against 41 walks. He added 23 stolen bases in 28 attempts, and had a wRC+ of 103, while totalling a woeful-7 DRS on defense.
Considering Domínguez’s lofty pedigree as a former top 50 prospect who sat atop the Yankees’ prospect lists before he finally debuted in 2023 at 20 years old, those numbers serve as a massive disappointment.
Domínguez was the consensus top prospect in the 2019 international class, and New York splashed big money to sign him. The Yankees handed the then 16-year-old $5.1 million to sign, signalling that they had sky-high expectations. A switch-hitter with loads of bat speed, good raw power, foot speed and a big arm, he was the kind of toolsy young player MLB teams drool over.
Over parts of four minor league seasons, Domínguez had varying levels of success. In 352 career minor league games, he slashed .274/.373/.444, with 47 home runs and 189 RBIs. He struck out 384 times but did manage to walk 204 times, and stole 102 bases in 121 attempts.
The 2025 campaign was Domínguez’s first full season in the big leagues, and he struggled. His best month came in May when he posted an OPS of .854, and hit four homers while driving in 12 runs. Those were all monthly highs for the season. He bottomed out in August, when he slashed .236/.288/.309 with two extra base hits in 20 games.
Whether Domínguez breaks out or not will largely depend on how much time he gets on the field. The Yankees feature three highly-paid outfielders in Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham, and Giancarlo Stanton is still holding on to the designated hitter spot. The franchise spent $162.5 million to bring back Bellinger this offseason, while Grisham is making $22 million after accepting the team’s qualifying offer. Those guys have to play.
If Domínguez does manage to find playing time and succeeds, it may soften the blow from the Yankees’ dismal offseason. They failed to really add to a team that disappointed in 2025 after reaching the World Series in 2024.
It shouldn’t take long to see if this is just more Domínguez hype or if he has truly arrived.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jasson Domínguez’s Hot Spring Start Has Yankees Dreaming of a Long-Awaited Breakout.
