Yanks embrace 'teaching moments' for top prospect Domínguez

TAMPA, Fla. -- Each ball hit in Jasson Domínguez's direction represents a learning opportunity for the Yankees' top prospect, who is continuing a crash course in left field. No doubt, there is work to be done, from tracking drives off the bat to taking better routes. They believe he can iron out the wrinkles before Opening Day.

Domínguez had a couple of rough moments early in Sunday’s 4-0 Grapefruit League loss to the Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field, losing a third-inning Colt Keith fly ball in the sun before being unable to secure a fourth-inning Andy Ibá?ez drive that fell in for a run-scoring double.

None of that has dissuaded the Yankees’ thinking; they are committed to giving “The Martian” a full spring to work out his issues in left field.

“There’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to handle left field,” manager Aaron Boone said. "And we do like what we’ve seen these first couple of weeks.”

On Keith’s third-inning fly, Domínguez squinted through sunglasses to find the ball, which fell to his left for a single a few steps shy of the warning track. The fourth-inning play was an Ibá?ez drive to the gap in left-center field that outfield coach Luis Rojas said Domínguez could have taken a sharper route toward.

“I want to look at the video a little more, but just watching it live, it seemed he got away from his running form a little bit toward the end,” Rojas said. “Those are some of the things we talk about that can [mean] a step or two getting closer to a ball.”

Domínguez, 22, is a natural center fielder and struggled with a few similar misplays in left field last September, which prompted the Yankees to opt for Alex Verdugo’s more reliable defense in each of their postseason games.

Boone has said Domínguez will receive “every opportunity” to prove he can be the Bombers’ starting left fielder, saying Sunday he has no interest in flipping Domínguez and center fielder Cody Bellinger this spring.

If the Yankees decide they must pursue an alternate plan late in camp (Trent Grisham is on the roster and has won a Gold Glove in center field), Boone said he is confident Bellinger could handle any of the outfield positions.

“I want to give it a full runway of [Domínguez] doing all his work, and if I have to make a decision late, I’m not worried about moving Belli anywhere at any given moment,” Boone said.

Rojas does not believe that will be necessary. Domínguez and Rojas have been working out for weeks at the Yankees’ Himes Avenue complex, going through a gauntlet of drills -- slicing angles, navigating walls, diving, sliding, throwing to bases and more.

“He’s been working really hard,” Rojas said. “We’ve been trying to simulate a lot of things that you’re going to get, especially in Spring Training. You get the Florida wind, you get the Florida high skies, you get the Florida sun -- there’s just a lot of factors that are thrown at you right away.

“ … What happened here today, I think it’s just really good teaching moments for us and Jasson.”

It is an important year for Domínguez, who became one of the most celebrated international signees in recent memory when he inked a deal that included a $5.1 million signing bonus in 2019.

His September 2023 debut included a home run off the Astros’ Justin Verlander on his first swing in the big leagues at Houston’s Minute Maid Park, but Domínguez’s progress stalled when he needed to undergo Tommy John surgery to repair his right ulnar collateral ligament after just eight games.

Rehab from that injury and an oblique strain sustained last season have limited Domínguez to just 100 big league plate appearances thus far, a span over which he has managed a .207 batting average (18-for-87) with six homers and 11 RBIs.

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole said he believes the best is yet to come for Domínguez.

“I’m not an evaluator of talent per se, but I can definitely tell you this guy’s road has been unique,” Cole said. “He’s had some unpredictable setbacks, really great performances and stuff that he admitted he feels can be better, as well. His approach since the first day that I came across him is the same.

“In fact, his attention to detail is continuing to mature, based off just me catching glimpses of him through his work here and there. The fact that he’s just kind of unwavering in his approach through a lot of what he’s been through, that has me feeling confident.”