This winter has been cold for the New York Yankees. After yet another championship disappointment, the fans had to watch Hal Steinbrenner and Cashman’s penny-pinching. No big signings, no meaningful roster development. Not even promises to get players.
Now, as Christmas has passed and New Year’s has rolled the time is for spring training to slide in. But one big question looms high, apart from – why are the Yankees behaving like small-market teams? It is the question about–who gets that fourth outfield job! But here is the kicker: given the current dynamics of the team, two careers might be at risk because of it.
Fireside Yankees summed it up perfectly when they posted, “The Yankees have a big position battle between Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez brewing this spring training… Who do you think wins the 4th OF job, assuming Cody Bellinger is extended?”
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The assumption is doing a lot of the heavy lifting, and it’s where Cashman enters the picture. You see, even before the kids step on the field, the Cody Bellinger questions loom high. The Yankees are said to be in trail for a reunion with Bellinger, and this would instantly reshape the outfield depth chart. But Cashman has been patient, and this is because the internal options are giving the team some leverage. But they are also creating pressure within the locker room.
Because once Bellinger is penciled in, only one of these two young outfielders truly fits.
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Jasson Dominguez has already been tested in the majors. Over 123 games, he has been dubbed “the Martian.” He swiped 23 bases and hit 10 home runs, and so you can say the tool is rare. Plus, even his consistency is good. But there are red flags, like Dominguez struggled with left-handed pitching, and defensively, he posted a minus-nine Fielding Run Value.
There is also Spencer Jones, aka the next Aaron Judge, as they call the towering left-handed slugger. He looks honestly custom-built for Yankee Stadium! Jones crushes 35 home runs in the minors and offers legitimate defensive upside. But the red flags are there, starting with his swing and miss issues. His whiff rates climbed past 40% at times, too.
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Plus, the tension rises, given that Grisham is on a one-year qualifying offer. The battle, hence, is not about the April roster but about the future. If one player becomes part of the Yankees’ long-term outfield plan, the other does risk becoming a trade chip for Cashman to flip.
And seems like they could be on the way to the chopping block already!
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Could the Yankees trade Jones and Dominguez as rotation questions keep coming?
Turns out that the New York Yankees are once again poking around the starting pitching market, and this conversation is leading them right to the Miami Marlins. According to The Athletic, the Yankees have discussed a plausible trade with the Marlins for their right-handed starter, Edward Cabrera.
See, on paper, it is simple to see that appeal. Cabrera is 27 years old, coming off a great season where he went 8-7 with a 3.53 ERA and struck out 150 batters across 137.2 innings. Those innings and strikeouts were both career highs.
Plus, Cabrera’s fastball also averaged 96.9 mph in 2025 and landed him in the 87th percentile among starting pitchers. But that’s just the beginning, because there is also a contract angle that plays. Cabrera, you see, is a player under TAM control through 2028 and is projected to earn just $3.75 million in 2026 before arbitration, as per Spotrac.
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But this also means that Miami would ask for a hefty return in exchange for this affordability, combined with age and the upsides of the player. Any deal would demand young talent like Spencer Jones or Jasson Domínguez.
From the Bronx Bombers’ perspective, the timing makes sense. Their rotation would need to survive without Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Clarke Schmidt early on. So, Cabrera would provide immediate insurance. Even then, there are also risks involved, given that Cabrera dealt with elbow issues late in 2025 and had knee and shoulder injuries the year before.
It remains to be seen whether the Yankees go all-in on Cabrera or chicken out at the right moment.