Dominguez has come up as a centerfielder, and this isn’t the first time we have seen him struggle in left field. In 105 defensive innings in left field last season for the Yankees, the 22-year-old put up a .957 fielding percentage (league average is .987).
Nonetheless, a reputable scouting report says of Dominguez: “His instincts aren’t as keen in center field, where his reads and routes leave a lot to be desired, so he profiles better as a corner outfielder with solid-to-plus arm strength.”
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“There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to handle left field,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
“We obviously believe [Dominguez] has a very high ceiling, and he’s healthy,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said, reported by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com.
The Domincan Republic-native Dominguez made his Major League debut in September of 2023 and played in 18 games for the Yankees in 2024. Across 100 plate appearances in the big leagues, Dominguez has a 107 OPS+ with six homers and 27 strikeouts. In 58 games in the minors last year, across three levels, Dominguez slashed .314/.376/.504 with 16 stolen bases. The switch-hitting Dominguez will retain his MLB rookie status through the 2025 season.
With Juan Soto joining the crosstown-rival New York Mets, the Yankees can move Aaron Judge back to right field. The Yankees traded for Cody Bellinger this offseason as well, and he could play in either left or center. With two of the three outfield spots seemingly occupied, this does leave a clear opening for Dominguez if he has a stellar Grapefruit League season.
Josey Curtis is an avid sports fan, with passions for MLB, the NFL, and college basketball. Josey has been writing about sports since middle school, including a seven-year stint at SB Nation. She also interned as a Baseball Video Scout at Sports Info Solutions.
