Yankees Outfielder's Trade Value Has Never Been Worse Two Days Before Deadline

The New York Yankees had high hopes for a once-promising outfielder, but now might be a hard sell if they want to deal him.

New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman walks on the field before game three of the 2024 MLB World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Yankee Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones are a tale of two prospects going in different directions. The New York Yankees would have loved it if both had been able to contribute, but Spencer Jones, who has been on a torrid streak of late, is like the NBA 3-and-D player. He can put up crooked numbers while giving dependable defense.

On the other hand, Domínguez isn't a great hitter. He also isn't a great defender, and an ugly play on the bases this week was yet another red mark on an overall underwhelming season.

The Yankees had high hopes for Domínguez, but unfortunately, the 23-year-old hasn't shown enough at the big league level to even warrant playing time. Injuries are the only reason why he's in the lineup most days.

New York Yankees right fielder Jasson Domínguez (24) overruns third base and is tagged out by Chicago White Sox third baseman Colson Montgomery (12) during the sixth inning at Rate Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With that, the Yankees can't even protect him by stashing him in Triple-A. Were the lineup a little healthier, at some point it's likely they would have swapped him and Jones, but right now, Domínguez is becoming more and more exposed.

Domínguez vs Jones on the trade market

If a team is looking to sell and inquiring about young controllable pieces, why wouldn't one prefer Jones over Domínguez? Domínguez and his .229/.271/.383 season slash line is a hard sell. It's not to say Domínguez is devoid of value, because that would be extreme, but he certainly hasn't helped his cause.

Jones, on the other hand, is hitting .236/.327/.416 in the 37 games he has been in. What sets him apart from Domínguez most, though, outside of overall numbers, is his underlying metrics. Jones has a 95.6 MPH average exit velocity and a 64.6% hard hit rate. Both would be at or above the 95th percentile were he a qualified hitter. His 10.2% barrel rate is solid, too.

New York Yankees center fielder Spencer Jones (78) center fielder Trent Grisham (12) right fielder Jasson Domínguez (24) celebrate after defeating the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Domínguez, on the other hand, has poor counting stats with poor underlying metrics. In those same categories, Domínguez has an 88.2 MPH average exit velocity, a 39.6% hard hit rate, and a 4.9% barrel rate. That is a more damning piece of evidence than a slash line.

Seeing what Jones and Domínguez are doing under the hood in comparison, if you're the Los Angeles Angels or the New York Mets, why wouldn't they prefer Jones? Domínguez is unfortunately losing value, and at this point, Brian Cashman may not love the offers that are on the table for him. All he has is his age as a selling point.

The Yankees may have to settle for something well below whatever they had in mind. That is unfortunately where the Yankees are with their young outfielder, who once wowed the baseball world with his raw tools as a teenager.