Like just about everyone else in the world, I have yet to see New York Yankees slugging prospect Jasson Dominguez play in an actual baseball game. Sure, I have seen pictures, video, and the like. However, Dominguez, described as a generational talent fantasy managers would surely covet in dynasty formats when he signed as a 16-year-old, just played in his first organized baseball game a mere 10 days ago. He is playing in rookie ball, now called the Florida Complex League, and his big-league debut remains years away.
Still, we all want to see him perform and we should get the chance on Sunday when Dominguez suits up in the MLB All-Star Futures Game, held in the hitter's paradise that is Denver's Coors Field (1 p.m. ET, MLB Network). Dominguez, the much-hyped outfielder from the Dominican Republic who was the top prize of the 2019 international signing class, is a switch-hitter that scouts universally love. He's blessed with a muscular frame to which he should add some weight, generous bat speed, and all of the proverbial tools. The last 18-year-old to appear in the Futures Game was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2017.
Dominguez is currently rostered in 2.3% of ESPN standard leagues, not because anyone expects to see him play for the actual Yankees in 2021, but because of keeper/dynasty managers being eager to invest when he signed a pro contract two years ago. Patience is, of course, required whenever a fantasy manager invests in a teenager, and if we use Guerrero as a rough comparison, he did not shine in his first exposure to the big leagues. Still, almost nobody has seen Dominguez play! We finally will this weekend!
Others scheduled to play
Regardless of which version of the prospect rankings you rely upon, there is no shortage of notable names invited to play in Sunday's game, including recent No. 1 overall selections Spencer Torkelson of the Detroit Tigers and catcher Adley Rutschman of the Baltimore Orioles. Torkelson, the top pick from 2020, has hit for power and handled third base deftly at two minor-league levels this season, and figures to start the 2022 season at Triple-A. Rutschman, the top pick in 2019, looks great for Double-A Bowie, showing both power and wonderful plate discipline. By the way, this year's amateur draft will take place later on Sunday.
Future Seattle Mariners stars Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez could play in the same outfield for the American League squad, a pleasant harbinger for the franchise that last qualified for the playoffs years before Dominguez was born. Kelenic struggled in his month with the Mariners, but is having no such issues with Triple-A Tacoma. He should return to the majors soon. Rodriguez recently got a promotion to Double-A Arkansas and, despite being young for the level at the age of 20, is showing no issues. Expect his big-league debut in 2022. The future is bright for the Mariners.
Bobby Witt Jr., the precocious Kansas City Royals shortstop who threatened to debut in the majors a few months ago after a big spring training, is slugging .533 for Double-A Northwest Arkansas, offering up 13 stolen bases to go along with his 13 home runs. Dynasty managers cannot wait for him to reach the majors, but with the Royals not contending this summer, we may have to wait for 2022. We await starting lineups for Sunday, but figure on Witt playing quite a bit.
Witt's teammate Nick Pratto plays first base and he is slugging a cool .586. I bring his name up especially because he may still be available in your dynasty league. Pratto struggled to hit for power at High-A Wilmington in 2019, and nobody really played in 2020, so he may have fallen off the proverbial fantasy radar. The power is surely back now and the Royals may present him with a big-league opportunity early next season.
Another prospect few have seen play in a game is Chicago White Sox OF Yoelkis Cespedes. Yep, the name is familiar because he is the younger brother of Yoenis Cespedes, another one-time star of the Cuban national team. Yoelkis is 23 and plays for High-A Winston-Salem, where the very early returns show him hitting baseballs a long way, but he hardly makes significant contact. Still, his last name piques everyone's interest and we all want to see how he performs.
On the pitching side, and again we have yet to learn the starters, but Miami Marlins RHP Max Meyer figures to get an inning to showcase his stuff. Meyer went No. 3 in the 2020 draft (after Torkelson and Orioles OF Heston Kjerstad) and boasts a 1.69 ERA for Double-A Pensacola, with a strikeout per inning. Fantasy managers like Marlins pitchers, in part due to the spacious home ballpark, but also because the organization has done nice work developing pitching talent.
Mariners RHP Emerson Hancock went three picks after Meyer and he is thriving at High-A Everett. He should move quickly through the minors as well. Unfortunately, we won't be seeing him on Sunday, as what the organization is calling a minor shoulder injury has scratched him from the festivities. Fear not, as he's expected to be back on the mound soon.