Here’s what to find out about Domínguez’s debut

HOUSTON — Jasson Domínguez‘s aggressive burst out of the batter’s field caught Aaron Boone’s consideration, prompting the Yankees supervisor to perk up at his dugout perch. It was the ninth inning of a Grapefruit League recreation — March 16 in opposition to the Pirates, to be precise — and the super-prospect often called “The Martian” was spicing up a sleepy affair by legging out a hustle double.

“You really saw him accelerate and see him run the way he is able to when he really gets to top speed,” Boone recalled this week. “For being built the way he is, kind of stocky and thick, that jumped out at me — like, ‘Whoa, there’s another gear there.’”

One of essentially the most celebrated worldwide prospects in current reminiscence — having drawn early comparisons to Bo Jackson, Mickey Mantle and Mike Trout earlier than scoring a $5.1 million signing bonus out of the Dominican Republic — Domínguez can start forging his personal large league story on Friday. The Yankees added the switch-hitting outfielder to the lively roster, together with catcher Austin Wells, from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Domínguez batted fifth within the lineup and performed heart subject in his debut.

“I think it’s going to be a very special moment, when you look back and I see where I’ve come from, where I was born, the journey to get here,” Domínguez stated by means of an interpreter. “When you start thinking about all that, it’s definitely going to be a special moment.”

How are you able to watch the sport?

Friday’s Yankees recreation in opposition to the Astros is ready for 8:10 p.m. ET (7:10 p.m. CT) at Houston’s Minute Maid Park. The recreation will likely be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video. It’s additionally the free recreation of the day on MLB.TV (out of market).

What place will Domínguez play?

With Harrison Bader having been claimed off waivers by the Reds on Thursday, heart subject is open for Domínguez to choose up common enjoying time by means of September.

The majority of Domínguez’s skilled expertise has been in heart subject (208 begins in 295 video games), although with a nod to their wants on the large league degree, the Yankees did start providing him reps in left subject this season (47 begins, 44 of which got here with Double-A Somerset).

“He’s capable playing out there [in center field],” Boone stated. “We’ve obviously played him in left some, too, this year, trying to start to introduce the corner to him. He has, again, all the raw tools to do it: arm strength, speed, but still an improving player out there as well.”

Why is that this taking place now?

With the Yankees final within the American League East and at risk of their first dropping season since 1992, administration has made a acutely aware shift towards subsequent season. Domínguez’s promotion follows strikes to supply extra enjoying time to youthful prospects like infielder Oswald Peraza and outfielder Everson Pereira.

It helps that Domínguez has been on fireplace since his promotion to Triple-A, batting .419 (13-for-31) with three doubles, one triple, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases in 9 video games. Domínguez slashed .254/.367/.414 with 15 homers, 66 RBIs and 37 stolen bases in 109 video games at Somerset, and the Yankees have been going to have so as to add him to the 40-man roster this offseason anyway to forestall Domínguez from being claimed within the Rule 5 Draft.

As needs to be anticipated of a 20-year-old, Domínguez is hardly a completed product; in some respects, he’s nonetheless fairly uncooked. It will likely be a problem to chop down his swings and misses in opposition to large league pitching; he has struck out 133 occasions in 456 at-bats this season, although these numbers improved within the second half.

“He’s got power, bat speed and strike zone discipline. He’s had that really from a young age, the ability to understand the strike zone,” Boone stated. “We even saw that in Spring Training; you just saw a lot of real quality at-bats. So he has all the physical and raw tools you need, coupled with the DNA to control the strike zone. Now it’s a matter of, can you take that to the highest level in the land and do it consistently there? That’s what we’ll start to see.”

How extremely is Domínguez rated?

Boone stated that he plans to make use of Domínguez because the beginning heart fielder. It’s an prolonged audition because the Yankees consider if Domínguez may very well be their reply at that place for the 2024 season.

What uniform quantity will Domínguez put on?

No. 89, sticking with the quantity he was issued this spring (Wells will put on No. 88). Domínguez was carrying No. 7 at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, which is retired for Mantle. He was carrying No. 12 at Somerset, which presently belongs to Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Anything else followers ought to know?

At 20 years and 206 days outdated, Domínguez is the youngest Yankee to seem in a Major League recreation since right-hander Jose Rijo on July 6, 1984, at Minnesota. He’s the youngest Yankees place participant since Stan Javier (20 years, 97 days) on April 15, 1984, vs. the White Sox.

With Domínguez, Wells, Pereira and Anthony Volpe all within the Yanks’ beginning lineup on Friday, it marks the primary time since Sept. 18, 1969, that the Yankees had 4 gamers age 23 or youthful begin. Then, it was Ron Blomberg (21), Frank Tepedino (21), Thurman Munson (22) and Bobby Murcer (23) in opposition to the Washington Senators.