For the Yankees, calling up Jasson Dominguez to take Alex Verdugo’s place in left field makes sense. Verdugo is struggling, and it’s obvious that New York plans to rely on Dominguez for many years to come. For General Manager Brian Cashman and his front office, however, it’s not an easy choice.
Dominguez appears set to play the remainder of the season in AAA, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, who speculates that this could be due to draft compensation. Basically, the thought is that the gifted slugger still has less at-bats than what is needed to rule him out of contention for Rookie of the Year. Because of this, he would still be eligible to win the prestigious award in 2025 even if the Yankees decide to send him to the minors for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Both Dominguez and the Yankees organization would benefit from it. At the conclusion of Round 1, New York would get an additional selection as a Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) choice. Dominguez would probably be the preseason favorite if he were to land a full-time starting position in the Bronx, but winning the Rookie of the Year Award wouldn’t be a guarantee going into next season.
Cashman is obviously drawn to the prospect of obtaining an extra high draft pick. He is often chastised for not wanting to give up prospects in trades. It makes sense that he would esteem high draft picks highly as well. That kind of draft capital often becomes the kind of highly-regarded prospect that keeps trade wheels turning.
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