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On Sunday, following a shocking (and historic) win against the Milwaukee Brewers, the New York Yankees announced that rookie outfielder Jasson Domínguez had torn the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing elbow. Domínguez is now expected to undergo Tommy John surgery in the near future, which will end his 2023 campaign and delay the start of his 2024 season. 

It's to be seen just how much time Domínguez misses -- Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper returned within six months, though he did so as a designated hitter who has yet to return to the outfield -- but it's possible that he's sidelined well into next season, perhaps as late as the All-Star break.

Even with the disappointing and premature ending, the 2023 season should be classified as a success for Domínguez. Let's count off three reasons why.

1. Held own against advanced pitching

If you ask us, Domínguez has been dealt an unfair hand. Dating back to when he signed with the Yankees in 2019, he's received the kind of unreasonable player comparisons, to Mike Trout and others, that leave him little chance of meeting or exceeding expectations. Perhaps that's just part of the bargain when your physical abilities earn you "The Martian" as a nickname before you can legally drive.

Still, we think the Yankees and those who take a more measured view of his game have to be pleased with how Domínguez performed this season.

Domínguez, for those unaware, batted .254/.367/.414 with 15 home runs and 37 stolen bases in 109 games. Those numbers don't leap off the page, but it's always important to consider the team and league context. Domínguez's .781 OPS was one point above the Yankees' Double-A affiliate team average. It was also nearly 60 points above the Eastern League average. In other words, it's safe to describe his play as being average or better.

There are two other dynamics at play that paint a rosier picture.

One of the more important evaluative tricks to keep in mind is that of age relative to competition. Domínguez, a 20-year-old, put up those marks against Double-A competition that was, on average, nearly four years his senior, according to Baseball-Reference's calculations. That's an encouraging sign. Likewise, Double-A tends to be the level where legitimate future big-league contributors separate themselves from the pack. It's the page-69 test for ballplayers: if you like what you see there, you'll usually like what comes next.

Overall, this season would seem to bode well for Domínguez on that front.

2. Reached the majors before 21st birthday

This may seem like a trivial point, but obsessive readers will recall that Domínguez said in spring 2022 he wanted to reach the majors before he celebrated his 21st birthday. At the time, the goal seemed a wee overzealous given that he had appeared in just 50 games outside of the complex.

To Domínguez's credit, he put himself in position to make good on his aim by clearing both A-ball levels in 2022. He then more than held his own at Double-A this year. His upward path required some luck, too, although we're not sure it can be described as the "good" variety. Rather Domínguez benefitted from the Yankees' disappointing season at the big-league level before being called up on Sept. 1.

If the Yankees were closer to contention, it seems unlikely they would've pushed Domínguez to the majors with just nine Triple-A games under his belt. Because the Yankees had slim playoff odds, they were able to treat September like an open audition for next season. That, in turn, cleared the way for Domínguez to debut on Sept. 1, five months before his 21st birthday.

3. Made most of big-league stint

We don't want to make too much out of Domínguez's big-league cameo. If you follow baseball for any length of time, you'll grow to appreciate that just about anything can happen over the course of 33 plate appearances. So, homering four times in eight games as a 20-year-old? That's great, even if it shouldn't necessarily alter your perception of Domínguez's prospects for the future. (Of course, all things being equal, it sure beats going hitless, doesn't it?)

If you want more substantive reasons to feel good about Domínguez, look to physical traits and his statistical output. To wit, he's continued to walk at healthy levels while keeping his strikeout rate in check; he's also shown he can make quality contact and post above-average sprint speeds. Those are all positive indicators that point toward him being a meaningful big-league contributor once he's again hearty and hale, whenever that proves to be.