2026 Needs To Be The Year Of The Bronx Baby Bombers

What really is a perfect Yankees 2025 offseason? Does it include re-signing Cody Bellinger? Or how about acquiring a Paul Skenes or even a Skubal? For me it is forming a new Baby Bombers team. 

I have been debating on if this topic should be discussed in article or video form, for now it will remain in at least article form here on the NYSS website. Anyone who has been following the New York Sports Show knows just how big I am on letting the youth play and develop properly. And since Mr. Hal Steinbrenner basically said without actually saying the Yankees don’t have any money or at least any profit, well this plan would benefit the team at least salary wise.

My idea (yes I know how crazy it may seem) is simple: Have Jasson Dominguez be an everyday player, which means no re-signing of Bellinger - Make Spencer Jones the starting first baseman, which would set up the opportunity for Ben Rice elsewhere - Have Carlos Lagrange be in the starting rotation for the first month-and-a-half - Have T.J. Rumfield in a platoon position.

Let me break it down more for you:

Jasson Dominguez NEEDS consistent playing time and the Yankees have already brought back good ol’ Trent, which means a Cody Bellinger re-signing would either have Dominguez once again platooned or traded. It also could halt the promotion of Spencer Jones as well. By letting Belly walk you would be giving Dominguez his first full season in the majors which could see him play in 140+ games. Jasson was average in left, so many made it seem like he was absolutely horrible at the position, but in reality he only had two errors for a .989 fielding %, with arm strength that ranks in the 92nd percentile. Yes, Dominguez’s DRS is not pretty with -11 in 2025, meaning he cost the Yanks’ 11 runs. Let me remind you though that those -11 DRS came all in left field, a position that he never played in the minors until 2023, which even then saw him have very limited time. Dominguez is a true center fielder, not a left fielder. Have Dominguez at center, Judge at right and Grisham at left.

Spencer Jones is probably the easiest move. Have him play first and make Ben Rice the starting catcher while Wells backs-up. Austin Wells is just simply not consistent enough to be a starter right now in the majors, both offensively and defensively. At least Rice has a bat, Wells doesn’t. Also, by doing so it gives Jones a full season to develop in the majors at a consistent rate.

Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon won’t be ready till mid-to-late May and Clarke Schmidt is set for after the all-star break. With that said the Yankees need at least temporary starting pitching. I would like to see Yankees No.1 ranked pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange begin the season with New York. The 22-year-old went as high as Double-AA last season, but absolutely dominated opposing batters to a .185 average. Overall with AA Somerset, Lagrange had 104 K’s in 78.1 innings for a 3.22 ERA and 1.290 WHIP. The right-hander also has an MLB debut year projection of 2026, so frankly it wouldn’t be like New York is rushing him up. Lagrange could provide starting rotation depth and potentially shift to the Yankees ‘pen or easily be optioned down to Triple-AAA once Cole and Rodon are back.

T.J. Rumfield honestly is a stretch I know…Rumfield is the Yankees 25th ranked prospect on mlb.com and also has a debut eta of 2026. The 6-foot-5 standing 25-year-old was an offensive beast with SWB last season, hitting .285 in 138 games for the RailRiders. His .825 OPS marked the highest of his minor league career, in which he also drew a career-high 70 walks while driving in a career-high 87 runners. Rumfield is not the biggest home run guy, but the Yankees don’t need that as his consistent solid contact hitting could do damage in the Bronx. Rumfield plays first base so either the Yankees would have him backup Jones or test him possibly at 2nd or SS as a backup until Anthony Volpe returns in May. Like I said Rumfield is a stretch, at least for the current state of the Yankees, but man do I wanna see what this guy could do!

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