Jasson Dominguez's response to Yankees trade rumors is nice, but it won't matter

We've expected all along that one of Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones would wind up as New York Yankees trade bait come deadline season. We were half right, as MLB insider Francys Romero reports that the Yankees are expected to shop both young outfielders before the Aug. 3 deadline. The development brings up a sense of melancholy, not only for fans who had high hopes for the youngsters, but also for Dominguez specifically.

“I love it here,” Domínguez said when asked about the trade rumors. “I signed here when I was 16, and I know everybody. I know a lot of people, a lot of people that I care about in the organization. There are definitely a lot of good people here.”

It's tough not to feel for him. Dominguez was a literal child when he signed with the Yankees for a life-changing $5.1 million, and the organization helped shepherd him into adulthood, taught him how to be a professional, and assisted him in adapting to a different culture in a foreign land. It's understandable that he has an attachment.

Unfortunately for the Martian, he likely has more value to the organization as a trade chip rather than as an everyday player in the lineup. There's still talent there, but the Yankees can no longer wait around to see if things click for the 23-year-old. However, there are plenty of rebuilding teams around the league who would love to roll the dice on a former top prospect with Dominguez's pedigree.

The real travesty is that the Yankees waited until Jasson Dominguez's value cratered to consider trading him

The rumors regarding Dominguez and Jones definitely have vibes from the past, reminiscent of the ones that swirled around Clint Frazier and Miguel Andújar after the former was derailed by migraines (and some other issues), and the latter proved he was a swing-happy one-trick pony who couldn't handle any defensive position on the diamond. Once incredibly valuable commodities, it was only once their value had turned to dust that New York considered dealing them.

Dominguez isn't quite at that level yet. His defense is problematic and he hasn't hit this year, but he did put together a 103 wRC+ (slightly above-average production) over 429 plate appearances as a 22-year-old. There's reason for a team with the luxury of being patient to buy in, even if his ceiling has been adjusted down a few pegs.

Part of the disappointment comes due to the fact that the Yankees hyped him up mercilessly for years. The team didn't give him the Martian moniker, but they certainly leaned into it.

The club's best course of action should've been trading him long ago, as the hype they were propagating reverberated around the league, and it should have been clear that anything other than immediate superstardom would've been seen as a disappointment. Four years later, and here we are.

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