The New York Yankees have added another veteran outfielder to their roster, signing 34-year-old Randal Grichuk to a minor league contract. The deal, which includes an invitation to Spring Training, was first reported last night by the YES Network’s Jack Curry. Grichuk, who split time last season between the Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks, is coming off arguably the worst year of his 12-year career. In 113 games, he slashed .228/.273/.401 with 9 home runs and 27 RBI, while putting up average numbers in the field.

Aug 29, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Randal Grichuk (15) celebrates with third base coach Tony Perezchica (21) after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning against the New York Mets at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Report: Yankees Sign Randal Grichuk to Minor League Deal

The Yankees appear to be building up their bench and outfield depth, and have been actively searching for another right-handed bat. With a career .819 OPS and .500 SLG% against left-handed pitching and an ability to play anywhere in the outfield, Grichuk is a perfect fit. However, veterans like Paul DeJong and Seth Brown are already competing for spots on New York’s bench, so Grichuk will have to put on a good showing this spring if he wants to have a spot on the big league roster. 

Randal Grichuk will be joining the Yankees as a non-roster invite on a minor league deal. Grichuk is a RHH outfielder and the Yanks have been looking for more right-handed hitters.

— JackCurryYES (@JackCurryYES) February 26, 2026

Crowded House

His arrival also spells bad news for some of New York’s young outfielders, particularly Jasson Domínguez, who now faces the prospect of having virtually zero playing time next season. With Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and potentially Grichuk ahead of Domínguez on the depth chart, it looks like “the Martian” will not get the chance to build upon his rookie campaign; it was a solid one that saw him slash .257/.331/.388 with 10 homers and 23 stolen bases.

The Yankees have two options for Domínguez, who just turned 23 years old this month, in terms of how he can spend the season: they can keep him on the major league roster, giving him occasional starts with most of his time spent on the bench, or they can send him back down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in order to fine-tune his skills before he is truly ready to be a major league starter. 

Stunting Growth

The latter option may initially sound counterproductive, especially considering that Domínguez did not look at all out of place in the big leagues as a 22-year-old. But, with virtually zero room for any more outfielders on their roster, the Yankees might be better off letting their former number-one prospect get everyday playing time, even if it is in the minors.

With Grichuk presumably joining the Yankees’ bench as the fourth outfielder, New York should once again have one of the best outfields, at least offensively, in the entire league. Still, it might come at the cost of neglecting the development of arguably their most highly-touted prospect in years.

 

Main Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images