The New York Yankees could be looking for meaningful upgrades on the trade market, but it might require them to move Jasson Dominguez. Moving Dominguez now might not be the best idea, as the Yankees would be selling low on him.
Plus, this is the year for the former top prospect to get a chance to prove himself at the big league level. Tommy John derailed his career a bit, and while Dominguez has been excellent in the minors and played well during his short stint in the Majors, there’s reason to be excited about him.
Drew VonScio of Newsweek seems to think there are better options for the Yankees out there, proposing a deal that would send him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Ke’Bryan Hayes.
The deal would also move Oswaldo Cabrera and Zach Messinger to the Pirates.
“Ke’Bryan Hayes had a strong start to his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. When he joined the team in the shortened 2020 season, he came out hitting extremely well. However, he hit just .233 with four home runs and 25 RBI in another injury-riddled season. There are very few players in Major League Baseball who are better defensively than Hayes. His question mark has always been his bat, and he has since added one about his health…
“Cabrera’s inclusion in the deal provides the Pirates with a potential replacement for Hayes who could compete with Jared Triolo or Isaiah Kiner-Falefa. Domínguez would be the big piece of the trade as the Yankees have a logjam in the outfield. It’s a position of need for the Pirates and a chance for him to gain a fresh start. Messinger would be a supplementary piece to push the deal over the top,” VonScio wrote on January 6.
How Has Hayes Played?
Hayes, in some sense, has a few similarities to the New York Yankees youngster. He was once viewed as one of the elite prospects in Major League Baseball, but unlike Dominguez, he’s gotten his chance and hasn’t made the most of it.
To say Hayes is a bad big league player would be unfair, but his bat has never come around. Defensively, he’s one of the best third basemans in baseball, winning a Gold Glove Awad in 2023.
His career OPS+ of 92 doesn’t lead to much excitement, however, and he’s played more than 124 games in a season just once in his four full seasons.
Emma Lingan of FanSided believes Hayes has ruined his trade value by being injured frequently, something the Yankees have to consider.
“At this point, Hayes’ greatest value to the Pirates is as a trade chip, though he may have already done irreparable damage to his trade value by being injured all the time. The Pirates have a lot of hope (and money) invested in Hayes, but on the oft chance that a team comes calling about him this offseason, they should absolutely listen,” Lingan wrote in November.
Should the Yankees Trade Dominguez?
The New York Yankees could trade Dominguez for a proven star, but moving him for Hayes wouldn’t make much sense.
At best, Hayes would be a minimal upgrade to the Yankees lineup, and that’s if he even produces at the level he did in 2023, which only resulted in 15 home runs and a 103 OPS+.
Trading Dominguez and others for him would be irresponsible. If they could have him for Cabrera and Messiner, that’d be one thing, but adding Dominguez in the deal would be a massive overpay.
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