Yankees' Jasson Dominguez, Spencer Jones Have More to Prove Before Earning Starting Roles

Both young outfielders face uphill battles to crack the Yankees' crowded roster this season.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The reality is that both Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones, two of the Yankees' top prospects, have significantly more to prove before they can earn starting jobs in the majors. Despite flashes of potential, the young duo has struggled to consistently perform at the highest level, leading the Yankees to sign veteran outfielders like Cody Bellinger and Randal Grichuk this offseason. As the Yankees look to contend in 2026, Dominguez and Jones are likely ticketed for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to continue their development.

Why it matters

The Yankees have high hopes for Dominguez and Jones, but their inability to solidify starting roles so far highlights the challenges young players face in breaking into the majors, especially on a team with championship aspirations. The signings of Bellinger and Grichuk suggest the Yankees are prioritizing proven production over potential, at least for the 2026 season.

The details

Dominguez was unable to outperform Alex Verdugo in 2024 and Trent Grisham last year, as Grisham emerged as an offensive force. Jones has shown flashes of power in the minors, but not the consistency to warrant a call-up to The Bronx. Both players are still working to refine their skills, with Jones needing to cut down on his strikeouts and Dominguez looking to improve his decision-making in the outfield.

  • Dominguez was first unable to outperform Alex Verdugo in 2024 and then Grisham last year.
  • Jones, the team's first-round pick out of Vanderbilt in 2022, turns 25 in May.

The players

Jasson Dominguez

A highly touted Yankees prospect who has yet to solidify a starting role in the majors.

Spencer Jones

A 6-foot-7 outfielder and the Yankees' first-round pick in 2022, who is working to cut down on his strikeouts.

Aaron Judge

The Yankees' star outfielder, who turned 25 the year he set the rookie home run record in 2017.

Cody Bellinger

A veteran outfielder the Yankees signed this offseason to add depth to their roster.

Randal Grichuk

A right-handed outfielder the Yankees signed this offseason to provide bench depth.

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What they’re saying

“He's done a nice job. He's worked really hard this winter to make adjustments to try to hone his craft and had pretty good results here the first few weeks of games.”

— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager (nypost.com)

“Those are the challenges of being a big guy. It's a hard thing to figure out, but if you can do it, [that size is] a massive advantage.”

— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager (nypost.com)

“You've just got to figure out your mechanics. It's a challenging thing to do when you're really big, but once you do, you have an advantage.”

— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager (nypost.com)

The takeaway

The cases of Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones highlight the challenges young players face in breaking into the majors, even on a team like the Yankees that is eager to develop its top prospects. While both players have shown flashes of potential, they still have work to do to prove they deserve starting roles, as the Yankees have prioritized proven production over potential this offseason.