Beginning the last month of a forgettable season in the Bronx, the Yankees provided a bright injection of enthusiasm in September of last year when their prospect, Jason Dominguez, hit four home runs in his first seven major league games. Dominique made history at age 20, becoming the youngest Yankee to hit a home run in his major league debut, the youngest in MLB to do so in his first visit to the plate, and the first major leaguer with four home runs in his first six games.
However, that excitement died down after eight games for Dominguez, who eventually underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow that will keep him out of action until mid-2024. But the switch-hitting outfielder’s tumultuous start was just the thing. Yankees fans have been waiting for years, as Dominguez became one of the most hyped international prospects in history, signing for 5.4 million in 2019.
“Thank God, what I was able to do in those eight games… it’s definitely been in another world, another experience,” the slugger said.
What many may forget is that 2023 did not start well for Dominguez, who was in his first extended stint in Double-A. In fact, the man from the Dominican Republic reached that level midway through a campaign hitting .204/.345/.346. Even “The Martian” thinks the year is already lost.
“I didn’t do well in the first half,” Dominguez recalled this week. “At the beginning of the second one, I basically put it in my head, ‘Well, I had 300 shifts. I’m not in a very good moment to take it up again.’ The thought that came to me was, ‘Konko, I will start working from next year. “Start preparing so something like this doesn’t happen.”
In other words, Dominguez already quit last year. But in the process of “preparing” for 2024, he saved his 2023 with much fanfare.
“After that, I followed my normal routine, with a different mindset, not worrying about it as much,” he explained. “And things worked out.”
It is not enough to say. Beginning in the second half of the season, Dominguez improved all offensive numbers, raising his average to .254/.367/.414 with 15 homers and 37 stolen bases in Double-A. This earned him a promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he hit 13-for-31 (.419). And of course, we already know how that went with a big Yankees team (four HR, seven CE) in eight games.
“It was something, like, unbelievable, because I thought he was dead that year,” admitted Dominguez, who will turn 21 on February 7. “It happened quickly, in a month, a month and a half. It was an incredible thing. What didn’t happen in the first half happened in the second half.
Dominguez continues his recovery
When Dominguez underwent surgery in September, it was said that the recovery time would be between nine and 10 months. With that schedule, Young could rejoin the Yankees in July.
“So far, the rehab is going pretty well,” said Dominguez, who is at the Yankees facility in Tampa, Florida. “I feel quite normal. Obviously, regardless of how I feel, there is a process that must be followed. But so far, I haven’t had any complaints, I haven’t had any relapses. I feel great.”
Ready to live in the Bronx atmosphere again
Of course, Dominguez had an encouraging start with the Yankees. And in the long run, he is known as the team’s long-term center fielder.
However, much remains to be seen in 2024. When will he return to the field? What will his playing time be like now in the Bronx with Juan Jose Soto, Alex Verdugo and Trent Grisham? Will he be reassigned to Triple-A early to get up to speed? What is known is that Dominguez will, at some point this year, return to that veteran clubhouse in New York to continue learning.
“An experience that changes you, being in that environment with people who already have a name and have already been successful,” Dominguez said of his first intervention with a big team. “See how they handle themselves, see the way they act, see how they act. “Definitely, it’s something that changes you and changes you for the better.”
And of course, playing with his compatriot Soto represents an additional ingredient of Dominican flavor.
“For me, it’s an honor to be able to play with Judge, Juan Soto,” commented Dominguez. “I watched them on television when I was starting out in the minor leagues, and to be able to be there and know that I had the opportunity to play with them is definitely something amazing.”
