Jasson Domínguez to injured list after crashing into wall

NEW YORK — Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez is expected to miss a few weeks because of a left shoulder sprain after crashing into the wall Thursday, opening a roster spot for touted prospect Spencer Jones.

The 24-year-old Jones, ranked as the team’s No. 5 prospect by ESPN, will suit up in the majors for the first time Friday, sources confirmed to ESPN, as the Yankees begin their six-game road trip against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Domínguez will go on the injured list after spraining the AC joint in his left shoulder. He crashed into the video advertising board in left field at Yankee Stadium while making a catch in the first inning of a 9-2 victory against the Texas Rangers on Thursday.

Domínguez, 23, was taken to a hospital to undergo an MRI, which revealed the sprain. The Yankees said he was also placed in concussion protocol and would be evaluated over the next several days. Boone said initial tests came back negative.

“He seemed decent when we got out there and coherent and all that,” Boone said.

Playing outfield for the Yankees for the second time this season, Domínguez ran 81 feet to catch Brandon Nimmo‘s 101 mph line drive to begin Thursday’s game. Domínguez’s sunglasses flew off as he fell to the warning track chest-first.

Center fielder Trent Grisham came over as Boone jogged out with head athletic trainer Tim Lentych, assistant athletic trainer Jimmy Downam and director of sports medicine and rehabilitation Michael Schuk.

Domínguez cupped his head in his glove and sat up after about a minute. He pointed to his shoulder and craned his neck as he was being examined, then walked to a cart under his own power and was seated as the cart drove away.

He began the season in Triple-A after spending the 2025 campaign in the majors. Yankees officials praised him for taking the demotion out of spring training in stride and excelling in Triple A, where he batted .326 with an .893 OPS in 24 games before returning to the majors.

Dominguez went 6-for-30 with a home run and .617 OPS in eight games before Thursday’s setback. He’ll head to the injured list for the second time as a big leaguer; he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow near the end of the 2023 season. Now, Jones, a first-round pick in 2022, gets his chance.

“He’s put himself in the mix,” Boone said of Jones. “The signs have been encouraging. … The power’s been there, less swing-and-miss.”

The 6-foot-7 Jones, who has drawn comparisons to Aaron Judge for his stature and slugging prowess, batted .258 with 11 home runs and a .958 OPS in 33 games for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Said Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger of Jones: “It’s a large man that hits the ball very far.”

Despite his size, Jones is a plus runner — he has seven steals in nine attempts this season and collected 29 steals in 116 games last season — and a good defender in center field. Of his 33 starts this season, 22 were in center field, five were in left field, two were in right field, and four were as the designated hitter.

Swing-and-miss, however, has been an issue for Jones. Last season, he clubbed 35 home runs with a .932 OPS between Double A and Triple A with 179 strikeouts in 506 plate appearances. This season, he has 46 strikeouts in 142 plate appearances — a 32.4% strikeout rate that ranks as the 13th highest in the International League.

Jones’ promotion was first reported by The New York Post.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.