The New York Yankees have added some depth by bringing in a familiar face.
The Yankees are signing first baseman Dominic Smith to a minor league deal, as YES Network insider Jack Curry first reported.
Smith spent last season with the AL East rival Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds, slashing .233/.313/.378 with a .691 OPS, six home runs, 34 RBI and a 93 wRC+ in 93 total games.
Smith signed two minor league deals last year with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs before triggering his opt-out clause in both contracts. He would sign another minors deal with the Red Sox in May and filled in for the injured Triston Casas at first base for the next 84 games.
Once Casas returned in mid-August, Smith was designated for assignment and later released by Boston on August 20. Smith signed a one-year, major league deal with the Reds on August 22, but was designated for assignment after just nine games.
Smith is best known for being the No. 11 overall pick by the cross-town rival New York Mets in the 2013 MLB Draft. He was a top prospect in the Mets’ organization and showed promise in the 2019 campaign and 2020 Covid season at the plate, but injuries and underperformance led to the end of his tenure in Queens after 2022.
The initial expectation was that Smith would be the Mets’ first baseman of the future, but Pete Alonso emerged to claim that title in 2019 when he burst onto the scene to break the rookie home run record.
Smith, 29, is known for his defense at first base, making him a solid depth option with big-league experience that could fill-in on the Yankees’ major league roster if there is an injury at the position in 2025.
Smith’s left-handed bat has produced a career .246/.313/.403 slash line and .716 OPS in 639 games since making his MLB debut in 2017.
Although he has never fully lived up to his potential offensively, the addition of Smith on a minor league deal is a low-risk, possible high-reward situation for the Yankees as they continue to build up their depth.
