July 2 marks the start of international free agency in MLB, and the Yankees struck early in the signing period. The team inked outfielder Jasson Dominguez, the top available prospect per FanGraphs and MLB Pipeline, to a deal worth roughly $5 million, reports Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com.
Dominguez, 16, is a 5'10", 190-pound, switch-hitting outfielder from the Dominican Republic, and his scouting reports are exemplary.
The international draft has been a gold mine for the some of the finest young talent in baseball right now, including Ronald Acuna Jr., Juan Soto, Gleyber Torres, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. Meet the newest Yankee below...
MLB.com skillset grades (on the 20-80 scale):
- Hit: 55
- Power: 55
- Run: 60
- Arm: 60
- Field: 55
Some nuggets and quotes:
- Dominguez's $5 million contract is a record for an international free agent.
- Dominguez is nicknamed "The Martian" for his other-worldly talent.
- MLB.com called Dominguez "one of the best international prospects available in years" and "a teenage Mike Trout."
- An international signing director who failed to sign Dominguez said (per ESPN), "It's like Mickey Mantle. He's not 6-foot. He's a switch-hitter. He's got crazy power. He's fast as s---. He loves playing."
- FanGraphs compared his tools to a combination of Bo Jackson, Yasiel Puig and Yoan Moncada.
- Dominguez regularly recorded exit velocities over 110 mph as both a right-handed hitter and a left-handed hitter.
- His reported 6.3-second 60-yard-dash is almost equal to the fastest man in baseball, the Royals' Billy Hamilton, who ran a 6.2-second 60-yard dash.
- Defensively, Dominguez projects as a center fielder due to his speed and range.
- Dominguez is named after former Yankees slugger Jason Giambi.
See Dominguez's sweet swing here: