The New York Yankees, at one time, had the number 1 farm system and were known for their younger players making an impact on the team. But now it feels like the young players are not even getting enough chances to make an impact. And now a former Yankees player has addressed this issue regarding a young new star.

Clint Frazier, in the latest episode of his podcast, brought up the situation around the treatment of Jasson Dominguez. “I want to start it off with Jasson Dominguez: I do see some similarities between the way that Jason’s career has gone and the way that mine finished up,” Frazier said.

“I think that when you say they should be in the minor leagues getting the everyday at-bats and just playing it, I think it applies to certain players,” he added. “For Jason Dominguez, I’m not a fan of doing that, right. When you get the option to the minors, especially when players internally believe they should be there, it is soul-crushing, guys. Sending him to the minor leagues is cruel at this point.”

Clint Frazier said that Dominguez’s situation feels awfully familiar to him. Frazier says that young players are always getting included in trade talks and sometimes not given a chance to prove themselves. He says that he somewhat faced the same problems during his time with the Yankees.

Frazier also acknowledged that Jasson Dominguez has a lot of raw talent. He also says that the criticism he faces is unwarranted, as he is just 23 years old, and the sample size to judge him is not big enough

Reports now suggest that Dominguez might start 2026 in Triple-A, and Frazier clearly doesn’t agree with it. He is questioning Aaron Boone and the Yankees’ management about this move.

In spring games, Dominguez has hit .333 with 3 homers, 9 RBIs, and 1.010 OPS. Those 9 RBIs lead the Yankees camp, while his .667 slugging shows serious power. He even hit a bomb against Justin Verlander.

Frazier thinks that pushing Jasson Dominguez to the minors might have more negative impact than positive. He questions whether the Yankees should be ignoring this kind of production, even though it is just spring.

During the 123 games he played in 2025, Jasson Dominguez had an average of .257 with a .719 OPS. But with the Yankees adding Randal Grichuk, things have become very, very difficult for Dominguez. The Yankees outfield already has Grisham, Bellinger, Judge, and with Grichuk, the chances of Dominguez getting significant playtime are doubtful.

Why Randal Grichuk will take the spot over Jasson Dominguez in the Yankees lineup

Jasson Dominguez does make a case for his spot in the team, but there is one important thing that puts Grichuk above him. Randal Grichuk joined the Yankees camp late after signing a minor league deal on February 25th. His delayed arrival cost him valuable preparation days while most teammates had already played multiple spring games.

He debuted on March 10th and collected only 8 spring at-bats until now. Manager Aaron Boone said the team is more focused on his mechanics and not the results.

This evaluation makes sense because of the numbers Grichuk has against left-handed pitchers. Over the last four seasons, he posted a .293 average, .342 OBP, and .534 slugging against lefties. His .876 OPS against lefties is high when compared to his .668 against righties.

He is among the 8 hitters with an average above .290 and a .525 slugging, including batters like Aaron Judge and Mookie Betts. With these numbers, his argument for a spot becomes stronger.

Those splits matter because the Yankees’ lineup already leans heavily toward left-handed hitters. Outfield starters include Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham alongside Judge in right field.

Grisham struggled against lefties in 2025 with a .182 average and .303 OPS. That opens a clear lane for Grichuk to handle certain matchups. Boone could rest Grisham occasionally while Bellinger shifts center and Grichuk covers a corner spot.