TAMPA — If it have been as much as Jasson Dominguez, he’d be enjoying for the Yankees by the point he’s “20 or 21” years outdated.
The Yankees’ much-hyped prospect, who turned 19 earlier this month, must transfer up shortly for that to occur.
He has performed simply 56 skilled video games, all of them final season, which he cut up between the Florida Complicated League and Low-A Tampa.
Dominguez appears set to start the upcoming minor league season at Tampa once more, the place loads of consideration can be paid to the middle fielder and new supervisor Rachel Balkovec.
Not the entire consideration has been constructive for Dominguez, whose inventory in prospect rankings took a little bit of successful following his struggles at Tampa final season, when he had a .744 OPS and 67 strikeouts in 214 plate appearances. Some scouts started to marvel what his ceiling is perhaps.
However he confirmed off some energy Wednesday on the Yankees’ Participant Improvement Complicated, and after teammates and coaches praised his perspective and management skills, Dominguez spoke with confidence about his future.
“My objective this 12 months is to remain wholesome,’’ Dominguez stated. “I do know if I keep wholesome, the opposite issues I can management.”
Curiously, Dominguez carried out almost your entire interview in English, which not many younger gamers from the Dominican Republic are snug doing.
That's a part of his growth as a frontrunner, in line with Balkovec, who labored carefully with Dominguez final season, as properly.
“He has super-high aptitude,’’ Balkovec stated. “He desires to study something he can to assist himself, together with English. He’s nervous [giving interviews in a second language], however he nonetheless pushes himself to do it. That’s just about throughout how he approaches baseball, too. If we wish to strive one thing new or make an adjustment, he’s gonna take heed to what we now have to say. He’s a very clever child who desires the data and desires to know why. He asks questions. He’s a important thinker.”
The subsequent step can be refining the uncooked abilities that helped persuade the Yankees to signal Dominguez to a $5.1 million bonus in July 2019.
These abilities have impressed Anthony Volpe, the Yankees’ prime general prospect, who has been working with Dominguez on the workforce’s minicamp this week.
“Watching his BP is superior,’’ Volpe stated. “He’s a specimen. … We name him ‘Mini Aaron Donald.’ ”
Dominguez is listed at 5-foot-10 and 190 kilos — a far cry from the 6-1, 280-pound Rams defensive deal with — however is famous for his spectacular energy.
And Volpe wasn’t the one one to reference the gridiron when it got here to Dominguez.
“I all the time inform him he ought to play soccer,’’ stated Matt Talarico, the workforce’s baserunning coordinator. “Nobody may deal with that man. No shot.”
None of that, although, means Dominguez will emerge as a star within the sport he’s really enjoying.
It doesn’t assist that his 2020 was worn out when COVID-19 pressured the shutdown of the minor league season earlier than he lastly made his professional debut final 12 months.
The Yankees knew they have been asking a whole lot of Dominguez once they despatched him to Low-A Tampa, however that was a part of his growth.
“We’ve seen guys time and time once more make it to the large leagues and that’s their first style of any problem or failure,’’ stated Kevin Reese, VP of Participant Improvement. “He hasn’t performed a ton of baseball, particularly in opposition to this sort of competitors. We needed to push him and can proceed to try this.’’
There can be much more eyes on him as Dominguez strikes via the minor league system, however he appeared to benefit from the highlight on Wednesday. He was snug, assured and at instances, self-deprecating, whereas making a robust effort to speak in English alongside Hector Gonazalez, the workforce’s cultural growth coordinator.
Balkovec famous Dominguez took it upon himself to make use of Rosetta Stone to assist him study the brand new language.
What actually issues, although, is what he can do on the sphere.
“What’s good about Jasson is he’s mature past his age,” stated new hitting coach Dillon Lawson, beforehand the minor league hitting coordinator. “That helps us with expectations and being actual with him concerning the hardships he would possibly face.”
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