Jasson Dominguez's Winter Ball showing should light a fire under the Yankees

The New York Yankees' plan for Jasson Dominguez this winter was to send him home to work on his craft. The 22-year-old was slated to go back to the Dominican Republic, visit family, get some home cooking, and figure out how to hit right-handed in the Dominican Winter League.

After an uneven rookie season in which the Martian looked like downright terrestrial, some time in winter ball to hone his craft seemed like the right call. When the decision was announced, Aaron Boone had some comments about what 2026 might hold for the youngster who had become an afterthought in the Yankees' lineup down the stretch.

"I still really like his ceiling,” Boone said. “I think he did a lot of really good things this year. But again, you’ve got to see where the winter takes you and what the roster looks like. I expect him to be a regular player for us.”

So far, Dominguez has gotten into 11 games and recorded 46 plate appearances for the Leones del Escogido, and so far the results have not been pretty. Dominguez is slashing just .184/.306/.263 with no homers. If that doesn't send a message to the Yankees that it's time to get it in gear, nothing will.

Jasson Dominguez's struggles in the Dominican Winter League should have the Yankees sprinting to sign either Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker

According to Jeff Passan, the market for top bats like Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker is a strong one, and we might not see any movement for a while as interested teams stare them down, trying to see who will blink first.

Bellinger is thought to be steadfast in his demands for a long-term deal after settling for a short-term, opt-out-laden contract last time he hit the market. Meanwhile, all we hear about Kyle Tucker these days is his connection to the Toronto Blue Jays, a development that should have the Yankees feeling very uneasy.

The urgency level coming out of Brian Cashman's office these days is on par with the nap-fueled tenure George Costanza put in for the fictionalized Yankees in Seinfeld. If that doesn't change soon, the real-life Yankees are heading for disaster.

Dominguez might have all the potential in the world, but with Aaron Judge hurdling towards his 34th birthday, Gerrit Cole recently turning 35 and coming off a major injury, and a plethora of other key pieces nearing their golden years, the Yankees can't wait to see if Dominguez is going to realize his potential ... at least, not if they want to maximize what's left of this current window.

That means getting aggressive and setting the market with their choice of Bellinger or Tucker, and not reacting to it. If they don't, they risk losing their shot at both of them and will be forced to rely on Dominguez (and Spencer Jones) to not only develop in 2026, but to produce and help shoulder the load as well.