Following Guerrero Extension, Should Yankees Pursue New Deal for Jasson Dominguez?

Apr 5, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Jasson Dominguez (24) enters the dugout to play the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees were dealt a tough free agency blow early when it was revealed that superstar slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a massive contract extension with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Not only does that 14-year, $500 million deal keep him with their division rivals for likely the rest of his career, but the four-time All-Star was also someone who many people expected the Yankees to go after during the upcoming offseason.

This was the latest long-term contract to be worked by by teams and their star players during the early portion of the 2025 campaign, and it brings up the question about who New York should be targeting for an extension on their own end.

The options are limited for the Yankees.

Aaron Judge is already locked into his deal that keeps him with the team through 2031, and while that could be reworked, that likely wouldn't come until closer to that expiration date if he's still healthy and performing at a high level.

Gerrit Cole also previously signed his long-term contract. Giancarlo Stanton is locked in through 2027, and his injuries should prevent New York from committing to him beyond that. Carlos Rodon and DJ LeMahieu are playing out their expensive deals. And Cody Bellinger has a player option coming after the season.

So, who could be the next one the Yankees target for an extension?

Jasson Dominguez would be the likely choice.

Still considered the organization's top prospect, he'll lose that status when he hits the requisite time played in the Majors early this season. He's been billed as the future of this franchise for a while, and despite some defensive struggles in left field, his offense will keep him in the mix.

Dominguez has slashed .242/.342/.424 with a homer and three RBI across his nine games and 38 plate appearances, also racking up three doubles to sit with an OPS+ that's 14 points above the league average.

The thinking is that he'll only get better at the plate with more experience, and if that happens, he could be one of the best offensive players in Major League Baseball when he hits his prime.

Because of that, the Yankees should be eyeing a long-term extension right now.

At just 22 years old, he wouldn't get anything near what Guerrero received, and that's exactly why New York should try to get something done with the youngster sooner rather than later.

Buying out the rest of his pre-arbitration and arbitration seasons would be wise from a financial aspect, and that's something other teams around the league have done with their up-and-coming stars.

For reference, the San Diego Padres handed Jackson Merrill a nine-year, $135 million extension coming off his NL Rookie of the Year runner-up finish last season. The Boston Red Sox gave their rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell an eight-year, $60 million deal.

Dominguez is somewhere in the middle of those two when it comes to proven experience.

Merrill's deal is likely closer to what the Yankees would have to pay their rising star outfielder, and while it might be a risk considering Dominguez hasn't performed to that level just yet, they would also be getting ahead of what could be an explosion that would only make his price tag increase.

These are the types of things front offices around the league have to be thinking about, and since many of the stars in New York are already locked up for the long term, the next logical candidate would be Dominguez.