For years, the New York Yankees were promised that Jasson Dominguez, otherwise known by his nickname, “The Martian,” was going to be the next great Yankee outfielder.
Of course, it was always going to be difficult for Dominguez to live up to the massive expectations that come with being the top prospect of the Yankees. Especially when, no matter what he does, he’ll always be in the shadow of an even bigger Yankee superstar, Aaron Judge.
Still, Dominguez was expected to at least be a contributing, big league player by 2026. After all, he’s 23 years old now. He has played in 140 MLB games over the past three years, with 16 home runs to his name. He’s been a slightly above-average hitter, with a 102 OPS+. He received rookie of the year votes in 2025.
Those are solid numbers for a 23-year-old corner outfielder. Most teams would probably be starting Dominguez, at least against right-handed pitchers, against whom he’s had the majority of his big league success. So what is Dominguez doing in Triple-A?
Jasson Dominguez Is Among the Top Sluggers in Triple-A
The term “4-A” player is often used to describe players who crush Triple-A pitchers but tend to struggle when they are asked to adjust to the big leagues. A great example of a “4-A” player is Seth Brown, currently playing first base for the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate in Scranton. Brown has a 1.015 career Triple-A OPS across six seasons, while his MLB OPS is a perfectly average .712.
It feels unfair to lump Dominguez into that category this early in his career. After all, he has not been given much time to develop at the big league level. At the Triple-A level, however, it’s starting to feel like there’s not much left for Dominguez to prove.
In his first 15 games with Scranton, Dominquez is slashing .327/.456/.491, good for a .947 OPS. He’s hit two home runs and driven in eight runs so far. He is walking more than he’s striking out, with 12 free passes compared to ten punchouts. Dominguez is even hitting left-handed pitching, which has been his weakness at the MLB level. Sure, it’s a small sample size, but so far, the outfielder is 4-for-8 against southpaws with two doubles, a home run, and a walk.
Dominguez Has Been Here Before
Jasson Dominguez was first called up to Triple-A in 2023, when he was 20 years old. In 2024, he played 44 games in Scranton and posted an .848 OPS, while hitting seven home runs.
This is now his third stint in Triple-A, and it looks like he is as comfortable as he’s ever been. Among all qualified minor leagues, Dominguez ranks 15th in batting average, 13th in OBP, 21st in OPS and 15th in wrc+.
Not bad for a 23-year-old kid. Among prospects 23 or younger, his wrc+ ranks 5th in Triple-A.
Do The Yankees Have Too Many Outfielders
According to the Yankees roster, the team is carrying four outfielders, including Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and Randal Grichuk. Utility-man Amed Rosario is also listed on the depth chart at left field, and DH Giancarlo Stanton can play right field in a pinch. Jazz Chisholm also has some experience at center field with Miami.
With four full-time outfielders and three more guys on the roster who could play there if needed, it becomes clear why Dominguez is in Triple-A. The Yankees simply do not have room for him.
Of course, the team could make room. Grichuk is off to a rough to start, with a .234 OPS in his first 16 at-bats as a Yankee. At 34, Grichuk might be nearing the end of his career, and New York could move on. But Grichuk is a right-handed hitter with better career splits against left-handed pitching. He is on the team for a reason, and has the exact opposite profile of Dominguez.
If Dominguez keeps hitting the way he has been, he might soon force the Yankees hand. For now, he’ll be in Scranton, terrorizing Triple-A pitching.
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