By Jackson RobertsShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThe outfield picture for the New York Yankees already looks crowded, and it's still missing a big name.
Cody Bellinger was the Yankees' second-best position player behind Aaron Judge this season, and now that he's a free agent, it's reasonable to assume New York will make a strong push to sign him long-term. But center fielder Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer has undoubtedly complicated the situation.
Bellinger, Grisham, and Judge were the Yankees' regular outfielders down the stretch against right-handed pitchers. If all three are on the roster, they'll probably all have starting roles to begin the season. But where does that leave 22-year-old Jasson Domínguez?
...Nicknamed "The Martian" and touted from a young age as the Yankees' future, Domínguez could be staring down the barrel of a bench role for a second-straight season, or perhaps preferably, a trade out of the Bronx.
Yankees beat reporter Brendan Kuty of The Athletic asserted that Domínguez's future would be in jeopardy if Bellinger returned in his Wednesday column.
"Left field is hard, especially at Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees surely recognized the difference between having Bellinger over Domínguez there last season," Kuty wrote. "Also, with the nine figures that Bellinger is likely to procure, the Yankees probably won’t want to up his first base usage until he runs out of steam in the outfield.
"Credit to Domínguez for going to the Dominican Republic to work on his defense and right-handed hitting. But he might be looking at a future where he’s a fourth outfielder or traded if the Yankees re-sign Bellinger."
Indeed, Domínguez is currently playing for Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Winter League, where he has a 4-for-26 stat line (.154 AVG) through his first seven games, per Baseball Reference.
In his first full season in the Bronx, Domínguez was a slightly above-average major league hitter, but well below the standard required to stick as a left fielder in Yankee Stadium. On most teams, he'd be given lots of runway to play through his struggles. But on the Yankees, especially with Grisham's return in center field, he's on thin ice.
Domínguez's trade value probably has never been lower, but if he's not going to play for the Yankees, there's a good argument to be made the club should salvage whatever value remains.
More MLB: Yankees Acquire 28-Year-Old Ex-Blue Jays, Rangers Hurler
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