Can Dazzling New York Yankees Outfielder Contend for AL Rookie of the Year?

A former New York Yankees top prospect is finally entrenched as a Big Leaguer. Can he compete for American League Rookie of the Year honors?

Apr 3, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) runs the bases after hitting a double during the fourth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees and their fans waited a long time for former phenom prospect and outfielder Jasson Dominguez to make his impact with the Big League club.

Dominguez first appeared on the MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects list in 2020 as a 17-year-old, taking the No. 54 spot just behind Kyle Wright and Hunter Greene, two pitchers now experienced enough to consider veteran.

By 2024, he was the No. 41 prospect in the league and Yankee fans had watched with anticipation as his stock went through its ebbs and flows.

The wait is over, and still at just 22 years of age, the Martian has officially made landfall.

With a unique blend of speed and power in his five-foot-nine frame, the switch-hitting Dominican Republic native has tantalized Yankee fans and prospect watchers alike since he was 16.

Dominguez showed a taste of his upside in the 2023 season when he posted a .980 OPS in a short eight-game stint, but he followed that up with a .617 mark in limited action in 2024.

Now, he's already set a career high for plate appearances, and his slash line of .231/.324/.354 shows both growth from last season and room for improvement.

If he finds a way to up his game, Dominguez will quickly find himself in the picture for a major award at the end of the regular season.

MLB.com analyst Theo DeRosa broke down every current contender for the American League Rookie of the Year award, and he included Dominguez in a category labeled "Starting to Click?"

"The Martian' has had an up-and-down April -- he’s hitting .232 with a .712 OPS after a 445-foot home run Monday -- but he definitely has the talent to vie for Rookie of the Year," DeRosa wrote. "After all, it hasn’t been that long since he took the baseball world by storm, homering in four of his first seven career games back in 2023.

Dominguez has stolen a pair of bases as well, and according to Statcast, he is in the 82nd percentile in baserunning value. His bat speed, hard-hit rate and walk rate are all in good spots, but there's more there for him to tap into offensively.

One hurdle to award consideration for Dominguez is his defense, as manager Aaron Boone has repeatedly removed him in late-game situations to help preserve leads.

If he can blossom into a plus defender given more time and coaching, he'll start to rack up WAR and really move up in the race.

If Dominguez does go on enough of a run to be named Rookie of the Year, he would become the second consecutive Yankee to take home the honor after pitcher Luis Gil won last year.