Yankees' Jasson Dominguez discusses big league camp, areas he can improve this season

Five years ago, Jasson Dominguez was watching players like Aaron Judge, Josh Donaldson and Anthony Rizzo on television. But during spring training this year, he was in the same clubhouse as those players, donning the same Yankees uniform and playing alongside them.

Still just 20 years old, Dominguez is New York’s No. 2 overall prospect and the youngest one in the organization’s top 10. Despite his age, the 5-foot-9, 190-pound outfielder had a ferocious spring with the bat, slashing .455/.520/1.045 with four home runs and nine RBI in 22 at-bats over 11 games.

Even with those eye-popping numbers, Dominguez feels like he has more to learn before he makes it to the majors for good.

“What I learned from the big leagues is that I have a lot to learn, that I got to keep developing…” he said. “I got a long way to go.”

When asked if he thought there was anything specific he needed to learn, Dominguez said, “Not really, just every tool. Try to get better in every department.”

If that’s his mentality as he begins the season with Double-A Somerset this year, the Eastern League should be put on notice.

Last season, Dominguez was promoted from High-A to Double-A towards the end of the year and played in five regular season games. In those five games, he struggled and went 2-for-19 (.105 batting average) with a home run and a triple.

However, during the postseason, the 20-year-old erupted with three home runs and 10 RBI while slashing .450/.560/.950 to lead the Somerset Patriots to a Northeast Division Eastern League championship.

“It’s definitely gonna help because it’s kind of familiar now,” Dominguez said about his time playing in Double-A last season. “I got the experience, I played a couple of games and I know how it is, how it goes. It’s gonna be great.”

He'll have to wait to get this season underway, though, as Thursday's season opener was postponed to Friday due to rain.

Another player who played in Double-A last season, but made the jump to Triple-A towards the end of the season, is Anthony Volpe. The Yankees’ top prospect, Volpe made the big league roster out of spring training, winning the starting shortstop job over fellow prospect Oswald Peraza and incumbent Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

In a similar position as Volpe, Dominguez was happy to see the shortstop make the roster, but he doesn’t necessarily view it as a forecast that his turn is next.

“When I saw Volpe [make the big league club] I was so happy for him,” he said. “Obviously I saw Volpe when I got [to Double-A], his progress, but like I said before I’m just focusing on controlling what I can control and that kind of decision is not on me. I just focus and do my job and other things happen.”

Luckily for Dominguez, while at big league camp, outfielder Harrison Bader, among others, gladly took him under his wing to try and help him do his job even better. In fact, normally a center fielder, Dominguez has started to practice every outfield position and says he feels good with it.

“With Bader I learned a few things in the outfield like how to get behind the ball, how to get to the spot quickly,” Dominguez said. “He’s a really good outfielder, a really good player and I learned that from him, and from other guys during spring training I just saw what they do, what’s their routine and learned the good things about them, everybody on the team.”

Being around and playing with big league players also helped with Dominguez’s confidence, not that he struggled with it to begin with.

“I just look at the game like at every level, it’s the same baseball,” he said. “Obviously, the highest level is different, the guys are more professional, they know what they’re doing, but I just keep in my mind it’s the same baseball. [It’s] just baseball.”

So, what was Dominguez’s favorite part about being at big league camp? Living out a dream that seemed impossible to him just a few years ago.

“Well for me the best part was being there, being able to see those guys,” he said. “I never thought before that I would be in the same clubhouse with Judge or Rizzo or Donaldson, I mean that’s the best part about it.”

What about the impression he thinks he made on the team?

“I’m not sure, but it’s something good,” Dominguez said with a smile. “They think good about me.”