There is something that is just not clicking. You can sense it in the Bronx. A collection of talent that would climb a mountain together is now walking in mud. And yeah, it might not be just the team. A 22-year-old once hailed as “The Martian,” a generational prospect with otherworldly promise, has found himself at the center of a Yankees storm. He’s drifting. Floating. The type of thing that occurs when a phenom forgets how much the game really requires.
Because when a player’s labeled “The Martian,” you expect fireworks. Command. Gravity-defying plays. Not sloppiness, not boneheaded baserunning. Not defensive confusion. And yet, that’s where we have Jasson Dominguez at. The Yankees’ prized outfielder, just 22, sure, but he’s already being talked about as a cautionary tale instead of a cornerstone. And now, baseball minds are sounding off.
It was Joel Sherman, in a sit-down on the New York Post Sports YouTube channel with Dexter Henry, who finally said it plainly. “I watch Jason Dominguez play baseball and I’m like this kid has a ton of talent, a ton of talent… [But] he has no situational awareness,” Sherman laid out the moment. Twice, in the same game, Dominguez tried stealing third base with his head down. First time? Foul ball. He didn’t even know where it went. Second time? “There was literally a ground ball to third base and he got tagged out.”
That’s not just a mistake; that’s not knowing where you are. That’s a breakdown in baseball IQ, and Sherman didn’t sugarcoat it. He brought up Francisco Lindor. Not just as a comparison, but a model. “Nobody has more style than Francisco Lindor… on the field? His substance IS his style… He plays the game right every day.”
Now, here’s the gut punch. Dominguez isn’t just struggling with mental lapses. He’s tanking on defense. Hard. Numbers don’t lie. The Yankees paid $5.1 million to sign him. But according to FanGraphs, he’s at the bottom of the barrel in nearly every defensive stat for outfielders: 3 Defensive Runs Saved, 5 Outs Above Average, 4 Fielding Run Value. He’s tied for dead last in the league. And the Made the Cut podcast didn’t hold back, calling him “officially the worst defensive outfielder in MLB.” Worse? In a critical Subway Series moment, he misplayed a fly ball from Lindor with the bases loaded, letting Bellinger handle it instead. Wrong angle, wrong throw, Mets win. That’s the stuff that sticks. And Sherman summed it up with cold clarity: “Baseball IQ should matter… those 90 feet are precious. You must respect the game.”
So here’s the thing: Jasson’s bat isn’t useless. He’s got a .254 average, six bombs, and a .117 OPS+, which means he’s still 17 percent better than your average hitter. But those highlights don’t erase the mistakes. He was once the number one international prospect, called “otherworldly” for his power-speed-switch-hitting combo. But potential without polish? That’s a firework that never leaves the ground. “You could tell me a million things about style I don’t care. Want to backflip? Make sure the ball’s over the wall first.” You can’t be style over substance in October. Not when every inch of those 90 feet matters.
Dominguez finds himself in a dilemma. He is picking up left field as he goes, since Bellinger has center field buttoned up. The pressure? Sky high. But the blueprint is in Lindor: Veteran grace. Leadership. Like clockwork. Same mindset, whether you win or lose. Dominguez not only has to observe Lindor, but he must learn to know him. At the moment, his raw tools mean nothing without the instincts to support them.
Aaron Boone’s Blunt Wake Up Call for Slipping Yankees
Halfway through the season, the Yankees should be rolling. Instead, they’re scraping by. Every loss stings, and most of them? Self inflicted. Just ask skipper Aaron Boone. He watched Dominguez get picked off against the A’s. Saw Anothony Volpe’s throwing error seal another collapse. So yeah, when SNY asked him to sum up the season so far? Boone didn’t hold back. “Incomplete, we’ve a long way to go.” Simple. Blunt. Truth.
The numbers prove him right. In their last 12 games, the Yankees are batting just .167 with runners in scoring position. That’s barely above water. And while the team’s still technically leading their division, it’s the rotation, not the bats, keeping them alive. Boone said it himself: “We’ve got to realize that potential. We have a chance to be a really good club.” That’s not hype. That’s a dare to everyone on the roster.
Well, what then? The clock is ticking. All Star break is just around the corner and unless the Yankees come out of this slump soon, the October dreams that everyone is talking about? They will remain but dreams. There is no room to make mistakes. Top prospect to failing outfielder, big bats to baserunning gaffs it is time to straighten up. Play smart. Honor the game.
Or get left behind.
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