The Yankees Opening Day roster is taking shape.
As the lineup comes into focus, young players will have key roles in the Bronx Bombers’ offense all year long. Jasson Dominguez officially made the team as did Ben Rice, per Aaron Boone, Max Goodman of NJ.com reported.
“Ben Rice and Jasson Dominguez made the Yankees, Aaron Boone says. No other roster announcements as of now,” Goodman reported.
The Yankees have not announced their Opening Day roster yet, but there are very few spots left. Carrasco and Warren replace Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, who are both out with injuries. Rice was always a contender to make it, but his chances skyrocketed once Giancarlo Stanton went down. Dominguez opened camp as the starting left fielder, so his inclusion is far from surprising.
Dominguez is the top prospect in the Yankees’ system, but he has flaws that should scare fans. His defensive woes in left field have been getting worse since his short stint with the team last year. And his OPS as a righty hitter is over 400 points lower than it is as a lefty. He has been given the start but needs to hit to keep his spot.
The Yankees have young faces all over the diamond
Outside of Aaron Judge, 32, and Paul Goldschmidt, 37, the entire Yankees projected lineup is under 30 years old. If these prospects hit, they could be one of the top teams in the American League. But their 2023 season lurks as the worst-case scenario for a team built on young players.
The Yankees made it to the World Series last year with Judge and Juan Soto batting back-to-back. But their defense, bullpen, and rotation depth were all poor. Games 1 and 5 of the Fall Classic were decided because the Bombers could not play defense. This offseason, they prioritized strong defenders and should have gotten better in that department overall.
However, defense is the biggest question around Dominguez. He rose through the minor leagues as a center fielder but has played left over the past year. His double clutch in the Little League Classic last year has developed into an issue tracking fly balls. He may be a great hitter, but the Yankees need better defense.
Rice’s defense at first base and catcher is strong. But his lefty stroke will be the focus early as he is likely going to be the designated hitter with Stanton out. He could get Goldschmidt off his feet at first early in the season as well.
