The 2025 regular season is so close that we can almost taste it. Some youngsters are already making a strong presence in camp and are looking like strong candidates for the American League Rookie of the Year.
One player that is standing out from the crowd is New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez. While his defensive skills are not his strong suit, he has many other loud traits that make him a worthy candidate for the prestigious award.
Dominguez is a player who hustles and doesn't give up when faced with adversity. Back in 2023, in an interview with MLB's Brianna Mac Kay, he proved his resilience after suffering a season-ending UCL tear.
"“I’m the guy that likes to work. I go hard,” Domínguez says. “Baseball has a lot of ups and downs, but one thing for sure, if I have a bad moment, one thing that people can believe is that I’m working to get out of that moment. I’m looking for something to be better.”"Jasson Dominguez
Why Yankees Jasson Dominguez is a strong candidate for AL ROY
Jasson Dominguez homered today off Jackson Jobe.
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) March 13, 2025
Wait for the slo-mo angle of it 👀
Dominguez (28th) and Jobe (3rd) both rank prominently on our Top 100.
(📽️ via @jnorris427) pic.twitter.com/dZKigOILC8
Dominguez has taken some time to get going but is starting to fire up in camp this season. Looking at his first 23 at-bats, he recorded just four hits, including one home run, and six strikeouts equating to a .174 batting average.
But his last 20 at-bats have astronomically improved. He has recorded seven hits, a triple, and a home run with a .350 batting average. Clearly, Dominguez starting to get into a groove and generating a rhythm offensively at the plate. His walk rate is something he still needs to revamp (4.9%). But overall, he is making a strong case to be viewed as a 20/20 threat in the Yankees' lineup.
His minor league career is something that should also be accounted for. He's sported a career .816 OPS in the minors, and an .880 OPS in 2024 following his rehab from his elbow injury.
In all, the 22-year-old Dominican put up stirring numbers across 58 minor league games last year. He went yard 11 times along with 16 stolen bases and slashed .314/.376/.504. The youngster has a lot to offer for the Bronx Bombers and has plenty of room to work on developing his defense this season.
The real reason for his candidacy, though, is one word: opportunity. Dominguez has a golden chance to become a prominent contributor offensively for the Yankees in 2025. Considering the injury blow to Giancarlo Stanton and Juan Soto's signing with the New York Mets in free agency, he should get plenty of reps near the heart of New York's order.
The experienced prospect has been nicknamed ''The Martian'' because of his strong athleticism that has been likened to his two-time MVP teammate Aaron Judge. That comparison may not do him any favors as he looks to establish his own big league credentials, but Dominguez has all the tools to follow in Judge's footsteps and bring another Rookie of the Year trophy to the Yankees.