The Yankees’ everyday lineup is basically complete with the re-signing of Cody Bellinger, but that leaves the fate of youngsters Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones up in the air.
Before Bellinger’s signing, manager Aaron Boone and GM Brian Cashman talked up the possibility of either Dominguez or Jones fighting for a spot in left field, but that has now changed.
During a Zoom news conference with the media on Wednesday, Boone was asked about the outlook of Dominguez and Jones after the signing of Bellinger, and the Yankees skipper was blunt.
“The reality is that [the outlook] does change,” Boone said. “We got Cody right back in the center of the mix and [Trent Grisham] back. That maybe complicates some things for them, but we also know what potentially outstanding players they are going to be in this league.”
Aaron Judge is the stalwart in right field and after Grisham accepted the qualifying offer earlier this offseason, center field is locked up. Bellinger was the last piece of the puzzle for the starting outfield, and now that it’s filled, playing time for Dominguez or Jones will be limited. However, Boone made sure to point out there are a lot of days between Wednesday and Opening Day, and things can change.
Injuries and performance during spring training could change a team’s calculations, especially with what each youngster brings to the table. Dominguez spent the season on the roster and appeared in 123 games where he had his ups and downs. He slashed .257/.331/.388 with an OPS of .719 to go along with his 10 home runs and 47 RBI, and 23 stolen bases.
Boone praised Dominguez’s major league experience as well as Jones’ 2025 minor league season. The young slugger had his best season as a pro. Between Double-A and Triple-A, Jones slashed .274/.362/.571 with an OPS of .932. His 35 home runs and 80 RBI across 116 games opened the eyes of the Yankees organization.
Even Cashman, earlier this offseason, praised Jones and said he had a chance to make the Opening Day roster.
And while that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore, there will always be a chance in the future.
“You start predicting the future too early and things change in a hurry,” Boone said. “One of the things why we love Belli so much, too, is the versatility he brings. Whether it’s early on in the season, next year, wherever they may be, someone carves out an opportunity for themselves, Belli is that true versatile player that could be really successful all over the diamond. We’ll see how everything plays out. The reality is that we have a lot of great players and Jasson and Spencer are a part of that.”
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