Realistic trades the Yankees can make with Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones

The New York Yankees have plenty of work to do ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline, with glaring holes at catcher and in the bullpen and potential needs in the infield and at the back of the rotation as well. And for what feels like the zillionth year in a row, the team seems more than willing to flip either part of its young outfield duo, Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones, to upgrade the roster elsewhere.

Both Dominguez and Jones have been given a fair chance to prove themselves at the big-league level by now, and neither of them have run with it. Dominguez has dealt with injuries in 2026 as he has in pretty much every other season of his pro career, but when he's been healthy he's regressed at the plate and failed to improve at the field. Jones got his first taste of the Majors earlier this summer and immediately validated concerns about his ability to make contact, posting ugly whiff and K rates before being sent back down to Triple-A.

It's pretty clear at this point that Dominguez and Jones are a way's away from ever realizing the hype that's followed them through New York's system; the days of being thrown in mock trades for Paul Skenes are long gone. Then again, the Yankees aren't overflowing with young talent, especially on the position player side, with which to entice rebuilding teams. New York could dip into its stash of young pitching to take a big swing at someone like Hunter Goodman or Mason Miller, but if Brian Cashman is going to check every box on his deadline to-do list, he's going to need to find some way to put his young outfielders to use.

Which begs the question: Just what is Dominguez's and Jones' value around the league right now? What can a rival team expect from them, and who would want to take a swing on acquiring them — and for what? A Sandy Alcantara trade might not be in the cards, but these two players' futures almost certainly lie elsewhere, and the Yankees still have a chance to flip them for something that can help this year's World Series push.

Why Yankees once again want to move on from Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones — and what each player's trade value looks like

Dominguez and Jones have been serviceable depth amid injury crises for the Yankees this year, but there's a reason why New York is always so open to move on from one or both of them. Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger will be occupying the corner outfield spots for the foreseeable future, leaving precious little pathway to regular playing time — even once Giancarlo Stanton's contract finally expires at the end of 2027.

Either of them could have changed that calculus with better play, but the reality is that it just doesn't seem to be happening at the big-league level. Dominguez has shown flashes of real promise as a hitter, especially from the left side of the plate, but his swing decisions have collapsed this year and he still hasn't been able to put his physical tools to use consistently enough to be a quality regular (especially given the persistent questions about his defense). Jones, meanwhile, struck out more than 40 percent of the time with a dreadful sub-70 percent in-zone contact rate in his first taste of MLB pitching.

That said, Dominguez is still just 23, and while Jones just turned 25, his lack of hitting development in college (due to COVID, injuries and his time spent as a two-way player) should give him a bit longer runway than usual. And both of them have shown the sort of physical ability to suggest that there are paths to quality players here with the right development.

Neither Dominguez nor Jones is serving as the centerpiece for a difference-maker at this deadline, even a rental. But that promise, and years of team control, can still be useful as a complementary piece in a larger deal or a path to landing a role player that fills a need for the stretch run.

A realistic Yankees trade involving Jasson Dominguez

The Yankees are desperate for catching help given Austin Wells' struggles as a hitter this season, and while a blockbuster for someone like the A's Shea Langeliers or Colorado's Hunter Goodman or Minnesota's Ryan Jeffers would be a dream, that feels increasingly unlikely given how difficult those players would be to acquire. So why not pivot to Cincinnati, where Stephenson offers a viable right-handed bat and decent-enough defense — a player who could really raise the lineup's floor against lefty pitching.

The Reds are very much open for business as they remain mired in the NL Central cellar, and they have need for as many young position players as possible. That's especially true in the outfield, where the team has precious few long-term solutions. Dominguez might not be that either, but he's 23 with plenty of years of team control remaining. Cincy can kick the tires on an athletic player who could play up in that friendly home park, while New York gets better at two positions of need who won't factor into the Reds' future plans anyway.

A realistic Yankees trade involving Spencer Jones

Jones might be an even trickier case. While Dominguez hasn't proven much at the MLB level, he's at least proven that he can be a roughly average hitter. But while Jones has more defensive utility (he's athletic enough to at least play center once or twice a week), the hit tool is such a red flag that it may torpedo him entirely.

Granted, his power is truly singular, and if he can even make a little more contact, you're looking at a 30-homer hitter with decent OBP skills — in short, an every-day player. Given how starved the Royals are for offense, that's a worthy gamble, especially if it just costs them a reliever in Lynch who will be a free agent after the 2027 season.

This might seem like a disappointing return for New York, but again, we have no idea whether Jones is viable as a big-leaguer. He might well flame out at Triple-A, where he's again struggling to make contact. Lynch can face both lefties and righties in high-leverage spots and give Aaron Boone much-needed bullpen depth in October.

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