Feb 26, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Dominic Smith (22) celebrates with his teammates after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

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Yankees Bring Back Dominic Smith on Minor League Contract

Dominic Smith opted out following a strong spring training.

Dominic Smith is back in pinstripes, not really pinstripes but he’s back in the Yankees setup.

The New York Yankees have re-signed the first baseman/outfielder to a minor league contract after he opted out of his previous deal with the team. Smith, who had an impressive spring training but didn’t make the Opening Day roster, briefly tested free agency before returning to the Bronx on a fresh agreement.

The Yankees have re-signed 1B/OF Dom Smith to a Minor League contract.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) March 31, 2025

The veteran left-handed hitter was once one of the top prospects in the New York Mets’ system before bouncing between the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, and Cincinnati Reds in recent years. Hoping to revive his career, he joined the Yankees this spring and made a strong case for a roster spot, hitting .297 with an .857 OPS, three home runs, and 12 RBIs across 13 exhibition games.

Dom Smith keeps his nice spring going! pic.twitter.com/DyOSqAesAB
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 11, 2025

Despite his solid performance, the Yankees chose to go in a different direction. With Giancarlo Stanton starting the season on the injured list, the team opted to give the bulk of designated hitter at-bats to Ben Rice, while left-handed hitters JC Escarra and Trent Grisham also made the Opening Day roster.

ALSO READ: Are the Yankees’ Newly Designed Bats the Reason for Their Record-Breaking Home Run Display?

Smith exercised the opt-out clause in his contract when he didn’t crack the 40-man roster, but with few immediate big-league opportunities elsewhere, he has now returned to the Yankees’ system. He will likely provide depth at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre while remaining an option for a potential call-up should injuries or roster changes create an opening.

For now, Smith will wait for his next chance to make an impact at the major league level, whether in the Bronx or elsewhere.

Dominic Smith

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.