The New York Yankees are up against some big outfield questions in this offseason. They’ll be working to build their roster around Aaron Judge, with 2025 standards like Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham hanging out in free agency while anything can still happen. The Yankees’ youngest player might be up against a make-or-break season in the outfield, as defense and slugging become crucial priorities.

At 22 years old, Jasson Domínguez is the youngest player on the Yankees’ roster, and while they are likely to give him another chance to shine, his 2025 regular season numbers were less than ideal. Domínguez ended the regular season with a .257 batting average with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs in 123 games,

Manager Aaron Boone still sees a lot of potential for the young upstart, and he is likely to get more opportunities to prove himself next year. Boone expects Domínguez to play winter ball, and he was impressed with his showing in 2025.

“He did a lot of really good things this year,’’ Boone said, h/t Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “We all see his ability at the plate. He didn’t hit for a lot of power, but there’s power in there to all fields from both sides of the plate… He has a chance to really hit and be a good defender. And we saw the impact he can have on the basepaths. This season very much showed us we can still dream on [him].’’

Aug 16, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) reacts after hitting a one run single against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Probably Won’t Start, But Will Play

Domínguez is unlikely to be a starter while he’s still figuring center field out. The Yankees took a lot of flack for their defense in 2025, which left much to be desired and led to some sloppy and unnecessary losses over their disappointing summer. In a recent interview, Boone hedged a little bit, as there is clearly a long way to go before those specific decisions get made.

“I expect him to be right in that mix to be that guy,’’ Boone said. “I still really like his ceiling. 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, though.”

The Yankees have had a lot of patience with Domínguez’s young peers, with Anthony Volpe getting n infamous number of chances to improve at shortstop, so there’s no reason to believe Domínguez won’t see more time in 2026. The decision to play Domínguez will certainly hinge on their other major outfield questions, including the decision to call up (or not call up) Spencer Jones, a top outfield prospect playing for Triple-A at the moment. Hailed as a Judge clone at the plate (but with a concerning number of strikeouts), Jones may be coming up sooner rather than later, and the Yankees will need to decide if an outfield with so much inexperienced talent is acceptable to them.

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