This isn’t an offseason for Jasson Dominguez to relax. The one-time top New York Yankees prospect doesn’t have time to rest this winter. The 22-year-old is playing winter ball to give himself a fighting chance next spring.
The Yankees are currently putting together their outfield picture without him, so Dominguez is using a stint in the Dominican Republic to sharpen his timing and address one of the biggest question marks from his 2025 season. He needs to show consistency from both sides of the plate.
Through nine games with Leones del Escogido, Dominguez is 6-for-35 with three doubles, three RBI, four walks, nine strikeouts and two steals, showing flashes of impact but not the kind of production that forces its way into the Yankees’ winter plans.
That’s an issue, because the Yankees are no longer satisfied with potential and progress. They need to build to win while Aaron Judge is in his prime.
So, Trent Grisham is back as the center fielder. The Yankees remain in the mix for Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker. And top prospect Spencer Jones is pushing his way into the conversation from Triple-A. Dominguez is already looking at the bench to start next season.
The one-time untouchable Yankees’ prospect is now being included in more and more Yankees trade rumors.
Dominguez’s talent is still tantalizing, but the results were not there in 2025.
According to FanGraphs and Baseball Savant, he posted solid underlying metrics overall, yet his production swung sharply depending on which side of the plate he hit from. Against right-handed pitching, he looked like a budding everyday player. From the left side, the numbers sagged, and pitchers exploited holes he never fully closed.
Winter ball, then, is about more than results. It’s about refining his left-handed swing, improving pitch selection, and showing the Yankees he can close the gap that developed in 2025.
It’s not unprecedented.
Giants outfielder Luis Matos used the Venezuelan Winter League as a springboard last offseason, posting strong numbers that helped reset his trajectory and reposition him for a bigger MLB role.
Dominguez doesn’t need to dominate LIDOM; he just needs to show he can contribute.
Because for the first time since he broke through, his future in New York isn’t guaranteed. And these winter reps may be his best chance to change that.
