Jasson Dominguez: Is The Martian the Next Big Thing?

In July of 2019, the New York Yankees signed 16-year old outfielder Jasson Dominguez out of the Dominican Republic for $5.1 million, using all of their international bonus pool money on him. He got the nickname "The Martian" because of his freakish baseball and athletic skills. Dominguez was listed at 5'10", 190 Ibs when he signed with the Yankees in '19, but has since added around 20 pounds of muscle and looks like a grown man. Baseball scouts drool over the advanced baseball tools Dominguez possesses at his age, as many have compared him to Mike Trout, Mickey Mantle, and Bo Jackson. Dominguez is a switch hitter, can hit for average and power, has a strong and accurate arm, and can run the 60-yard dash in as low as 6.3 seconds. Teams also tried him out at shortstop and catcher, but it is likely that he will remain in the outfield because of his speed and arm strength. When Dominguez hits a baseball, it sounds like gun shots or fireworks are being set off. He has yet to play a professional minor league game because of the pandemic, but the comparisons are unreal. Scouts use a grade scale for scouting prospects, with an 80 grade being the highest. Dominguez's scouting grades according to Baseball America are as follows: Hit 60, Power 70, Run 70, Fielding 60, and Arm 60.

These grades are all above average and are insane for a kid who has just turned 18. To sum it up, Dominguez is a five tool prospect and is already ranked 32nd on MLB's top 100 prospect list. If all goes well, he could be the number one prospect in the minors at some point next year. Kiley McDaniel, the author of ESPN's top 100 prospects list, recently told the New York Post that Dominguez is more advanced than Mike Trout was at the age of 18, which is scary to think about. Dominguez is a baseball prodigy, but the question remains: Can he live up to the expectations? The pressure he is facing must be massive.

Dominguez was tracked hitting a ball at an exit velocity of 117 MPH at a simulated game earlier this month. To put this into perspective, only four major leaguers had an exit velocity of 117 MPH or higher in the 2020 season, only eleven players did this in the 2019 season. It was reported that he was still running at an elite level, even though he has added muscle to his frame. His autographed baseball cards are already going for thousands of dollars on the internet.

He is expected to make his Major League debut in 2024, but I predict he will rise through the minors at a pretty quick rate and will be in the majors by 2023. Dominguez will likely start his career at the rookie level this season in the Gulf Coast League and will climb the minor league levels from there. His potential upside is a .280 to .300 hitter, who could hit 30 or more home runs, drive in 90 or more runs, steal 15 or more bases, and score 100 plus runs annually, once he gets to the major leagues. Imagining him hitting home runs in the Bronx is a fun thing to dream about. He will be the prospect to watch and to get excited about. It will be fun to see him progress through the minors. Buckle your seatbelts, this is going to be a fun ride!

Here are a few videos of "The Martian" Jasson Dominguez. Enjoy!!!

Final Thoughts: Personally one of my favorite soon-to-be prospects in the minors, I have never been so excited in my life to see a baseball player make his pro debut. If it all comes together, he is going to be something special!

See you at the ballpark!!!

Adam