New York Yankees top prospect, 18-year-old Jasson Dominguez is undoubtedly one of the most highly touted international prospects in the history of baseball. He signed with the New York Yankees as a 16-year-old out of the Dominican Republic for a record-shattering $5.1 million, and earned the nickname “The Martian” for his freakish abilities on the diamond. Dominguez, a switch-hitting center fielder, has been compared to the likes of Mickey Mantle, Mike Trout, and Bo Jackson.
Dominguez recently wrapped up his first season, playing for the rookie league FCL Yankees and Low-A Tampa Tarpons. He concluded the season batting .252 with five home runs and 19 RBI’s in 56 games, with nine stolen bases.
I was fortunate enough to watch Jasson Dominguez play for a week straight, six games as a member of the Tampa Tarpons, and here’s what I saw.
Build
The most important aspect of The Martian to touch on is his size. He stands out on the diamond, looking like an NFL running back on a baseball field, with his broad shoulders and large legs resembling that of Saquan Barkley.
Tools are ranked on the 20-80 scout scale.
Hit: 45
Dominguez has extremely quick hands and impressive bat speed. Although his zone discipline is solid and he works an above-average number of walks, he struggles with decisiveness on pitches, making a lot of half swings. Dominguez has a relatively violent swing with a big leg kick, and although a lot of his power comes from the many moving parts of his swing, it can result in rolling over. When he makes contact though, it’s typically loud contact.
From the left side of the plate, Dominguez appears longer to the ball and hits for more power, whereas from the right side his swing is more on plane and results in more line drives.
Power: 65
Dominguez’s most prominent tool is by far his power. He is one of those players where the ball simply sounds different off of his bat. He hit numerous baseballs above 110 MPH in his first season and put on quite the show in batting practice. This is due to a combination of his big swing and leg kick, as well as his muscular build, which will only result in more power as he ages.
The Martian, Jasson Dominguez hits the first home run of his career to right field on a 2-2 count. That one got out of here in a hurry. pic.twitter.com/AWk7CZVUgB
— Eli Fishman (@elijfishman) July 16, 2021
Run: 50
While Dominguez has above-average speed, I wouldn’t describe him as agile. He runs a bit awkwardly and does not seem insanely comfortable on the basepaths. As he adds more muscle, his speed is likely to regress.
Field: 50/Throw: 55
Dominguez is an average defender in center field with an above-average arm. It’s hard to imagine him staying in center field due to his size, with the corners being the most likely destination. His plus arm would serve as a valuable asset to any outfield, and he would have no problem making a throw from anywhere on the field, wherever the Yankees decide that be.
Overall: 50
Dominguez’s fate lies completely in the hands of the New York Yankees player development staff and the direction they would like to push him. If he continues to gain muscle and improve bat-to-ball skills he has the potential to hit 40+ home runs in the big leagues, although his fielding, hit and speed tools would likely regress. Dominguez could also work to maintain weight and add agility, where if all goes well he has the potential to be a five-tool player and steal 25+ bases.
His swing mechanics are also crucial. If the Yankees decide to bring him in the more muscular, power-hitting direction, his swing would need little work. But if they want him to prioritize contact and getting on base, he will have to cut down on the size of his swing.
ETA: 2024
A major league debut in 2024 would be his age 21 season, following a total of three seasons in the minors.
It’s worth noting the difficulty to accurately project his abilities due to his age and lack of experience, as well as the variables in his development. Dominguez is 18 years old and has played only 56 professional games in a league where the average age is over three years his elder.
The raw skill is there, and It’s insanely impressive for someone of Dominguez’s age.
Eli Fishman is a Northeast League (Double-A) correspondent at Prospects1500. He is an incoming freshman at Ithaca College, and has three years of experience writing for sites such as Last Word On Baseball, In The Zone Sports, Jersey Sporting News, and his high school’s award winning paper, The Columbian. Additionally, Eli is the play-by-play voice of the Jersey Pilots, a summer collegiate baseball team based in Madison, NJ.
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Eli Fishmanhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/elijfishman1500/
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Eli Fishmanhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/elijfishman1500/
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Eli Fishmanhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/elijfishman1500/
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Eli Fishmanhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/elijfishman1500/
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