The New York Yankees on Tuesday announced the names of 29 non-roster players who have been invited to major-league spring training. Among those 29 names are two of the organization's top prospects -- infielder Anthony Volpe and outfielder Jasson Domínguez.
Our own R.J. Anderson recently ranked Volpe and Domínguez as, respectively, the No. 1 and No. 3 prospects in the Yankees' system right now. Here's his write-up of Volpe:
"Volpe enjoyed a breakout 2021 season, homering 27 times after adding muscle to his frame. He didn't match that performance last season -- he outright struggled during a 22-game introduction to Triple-A, striking out 30 percent of the time -- thereby delaying his debut until sometime next summer. Volpe still projects as an above-average hitter who can contribute in each of the slash line categories. Defensively, he'll have to continue to prove that he can make all the plays at short despite a substandard arm. It's possible that he'll eventually end up at the keystone."
And here's what he had to say about Domínguez:
"Domínguez achieved instant fame (or as close to it as a teenage ballplayer from the Dominican Republic can get) when he signed with the Yankees for more than $5 million in 2019. That kind of ascent often begets warped expectations, but only until it then begets feelings of disappointment. None of it is particularly fair to Domínguez, who never asked to be described as an extraterrestrial or projected as a switch-hitting generational talent. Indeed, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that he posted an .837 OPS last season split across three levels in which he was at least two years younger than his average opponent. That, plus Domínguez's improved play over the course of the season, are encouraging signs. He still possesses some intriguing physical projection, too, including above-average power and speed. Domínguez probably won't become the next Mike Trout, but there's a big-league player here. Possibly a good one."
Anderson's No. 2-ranked Yankees prospect, Oswald Peraza, is likely in line to be the Yankees' starting shortstop this season.
Domínguez just recently turned 20 and has played just five games at the Double-A level. As such, it seems unlikely that he'll make it to the Bronx in advance of a possible September call-up. Volpe, at age 22 and with exposure to the Triple-A level, is closer, but he doesn't have a clear path at the moment. Perhaps, though, impressive springs by either player will hasten the timeline.
