Matt Dominguez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #4 prospect in 2012
  Dominguez and Chatsworth (Calif.) High teammate Mike Moustakas were both firstround picks in 2007, with Dominguez signing for $1.8 million as the No. 12 choice. The No. 1 prospect on this list a year ago, he entered spring training favored to win a starting job. But he batted just .190 before he was reassigned to minor league camp, where a pitch fractured his left elbow and cost him the first five weeks of the season. Dominguez's calling card always has been his defense. He possesses Gold Glove ability, with good anticipation, quick feet, smooth hands and a strong, accurate arm. He has yet to make the same kind of impact at the plate, however. Dominguez's hand-eye coordination works against him, as he believes he can put the bat on pitches he needs to let go. He gets tied up on the inner half and rarely drives the ball with authority. If he can become more selective and repeat his swing, he could become an average hitter with average power. He has below-average speed but good instincts. After making his big league debut in September, Dominguez will challenge for the third-base job again in spring training. He'll likely need some more time at Triple-A New Orleans before his bat is ready.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #1 prospect in 2011
  Chatsworth (Calif.) High landed two infielders in the first dozen picks of the 2007 draft, with Mike Moustakas going second overall to the Royals and Dominguez 10 picks later to the Marlins. Florida signed Dominguez away from a Cal State Fullerton scholarship with a $1.8 million bonus. While his high school teammate has grabbled more headlines with his prolific power--Moustakas shared the minor league home run crown in 2010--Dominguez hasn't given the Marlins any reason to regret their selection. He earned MVP honors in the Double-A Southern League all-star game last summer, setting the stage for a strong finish. He batted .301 with 34 RBIs in his final 35 regular-season contests, then his .296 with three homers and eight RBIs in the playoffs to lead Jacksonville to its second consecutive title. Dominguez stands out most with his Gold Glove ability at the hot corner. Managers have rated him his league's best defensive third baseman in each of the last two years, and he's big league-ready with the glove already. He anticipates well and gets himself in the right position to make plays with quick feet. He scoops the ball with smooth hands, then gets rid of it with strong, accurate throws. Dominguez hasn't been nearly as consistent with the bat. He has struggled throughout his career with breaking pitches and good inside fastballs, but the Marlins noted significant improvement after they made some adjustments to his swing last summer. They dropped his hands from up around his shoulders to a couple of inches lower, and also eliminated a top-hand hiccup that created a hole on the inner half of the plate. The changes gave Dominguez a clearer path to the ball, allowing him to make more consistent contact and drive the ball better. He also showed a more disciplined approach, something Florida has sought from him for years, though he still has room for further improvement. Though he has yet to top the 18 homers he produced at hitter-friendly Greensboro in 2008, Dominguez projects to have average major league power. He drives balls from the left-field line to right-center. A quiet kid who never seems to panic, he avoids emotional ups and downs even as he endures slumps or catches fire. Despite his quickness in the field, Dominguez's speed is well below average and he has tallied just one stolen base in four pro seasons. The third-base job is wide open in Florida, with the likes of Emilio Bonifacio, Ruben Gotay and Wes Helms competing with Dominguez on the depth chart. He still has to prove he can handle upper-level pitching and will get at least a couple of months at Triple-A New Orleans to do so. Often compared to former Marlins all-star and Gold Glover Mike Lowell, Dominguez eventually should end the revolving door Florida has had at the hot corner since trading Miguel Cabrera after the 2007 season.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #4 prospect in 2010
  Dominguez emerged from the same left side of the Chatsworth (Calif.) High infield that also produced No. 2 overall pick Mike Moustakas in 2007. A Cal State Fullerton signee chosen 12th overall, Dominguez signed for $1.8 million. After hitting .296 with 18 homers at Greensboro in 2008, he found the going tougher last season. Dominguez has smooth hands and actions in the field, along with a strong arm and a quick release, so comparisons to former Marlin Mike Lowell persist. His numbers weren't as strong in 2009, but he did show power in the dead air of the Florida State League. He has worked tirelessly with Florida hitting coordinator John Mallee on staying behind the ball and improving his strike-zone discipline, enabling him to do more damage when he connects. His makeup is an asset. Double-A pitchers exposed some of things Dominguez needs to work on. He can lunge at times and get jammed on the inner half. He needs to continue to add strength. His running is below-average, and some scouts question his range. Dominguez likely will return to Double-A, where he'll continue to lay the foundation for what should be a long run at third in Florida. Even if his power numbers don't improve, the Marlins believe Dominguez at least will be another Jeff Cirillo.
• 
  Ranked Miami Marlins #6 prospect in 2009
  Despite his all-around excellence, Dominguez is used to being overshadowed. He shared the left side of the Chatsworth (Calif.) High infield with Mike Moustakas, who went second overall in the 2007 draft--10 picks ahead of Dominguez. He had a lackluster pro debut after signing for $1.8 million but recovered nicely in 2008 at Greensboro, though Mike Stanton generated more headlines. Dominguez's defense is the first thing everyone notices. He has exceptionally smooth hands and actions in the field, along with a strong arm and quick release that have drawn comparisons to Mike Lowell's. Dominguez could play third base in the big leagues right now. His bat really came around last season, as he showed a quicker bat and more fluid swing than he had in his debut. Adding strength remains a must, especially after a bout with mononucleosis cost Dominguez the first six weeks of last season and caused him to drop 15 pounds. He has a tendency to lunge at times at the plate and can get tied up with hard stuff on the inner half. He's a below-average runner whose quickness and range have been called into question. Next season will be key for Dominguez as he makes the transition from hitter-friendly Greensboro to the larger parks of the Florida State League. He remains the top third baseman in the system and should reach the majors in 2011.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #8 prospect in 2008
  A standout on the same Chatsworth (Calif.) High School team that produced No. 2 overall pick Mike Moustakas, Dominguez played for the U.S. junior national team that played in Cuba the summer before his senior year. Dominguez signed on the Aug. 15 deadline for $1.8 million. Dominguez is a tremendous defender, slick of glove and smooth of hands. He has drawn comparisons to Ryan Zimmerman and Mike Lowell for his work at the hot corner, as well as a bat that should add gap power as he matures and gains strength. He has a strong arm and is judicious about showing it off. He shows loose hands at the plate and good whip in his swing, plus the ability to put the bat on the ball. Dominguez was lunging at the plate upon first signing, but hitting coordinator John Mallee helped him concentrate on staying back to better handle the inside pitch. He tended to tinker too much with his swing in high school, rather than maintaining a consistent stroke. He doesn't run well. Dominguez should head to Greensboro, where the forgiving conditions for hitters should help him gain confidence. His glove is advanced, but his bat will dictate how quickly he moves through the minors.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #14 prospect in 2011
  The Marlins wanted Dominguez to win their third-base job in spring training, but he hit just .190 in big league camp and fractured his elbow. He missed six weeks and spent most of the season at New Orleans before hitting a soft .244 during a September callup. The jury always has been out on Dominguez's bat, and the 2011 season answered few of those concerns. He has fixed some flaws that showed up this spring and is making more consistent contact, but he doesn't drive the ball with much authority. He may never be much more than a .260 hitter with 15 homers per season. Fortunately for Dominguez, that would be enough for him to play regularly in the big leagues because he's an outstanding defender. He has a quick first step, soft hands and a strong, accurate arm. He's a below-average runner who's not a factor on the bases.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #10 prospect in 2010
  Managers rated Dominguez the best defensive third baseman in the league, and he has legitimate Gold Glove ability with great hands and footwork and a strong, accurate arm. The knock on him has been that he has failed to make adjustments at the plate, a common refrain when he hit .186/292/.320 following his promotion to Jacksonville in 2009. Dominguez had a top-hand chokehold on the handle of the bat, slowing his wrists and impeding his swing plane. This year, he didn't grip the bat as tightly and simplified his setup. He started to show some opposite-field pop and could develop average home run power. He homered three times in the playoffs to help Jacksonville win the league title. Though Dominguez has well below-average speed, he's an astute baserunner who does a good job of getting from first to third base.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #12 prospect in 2009
  There's little question that Dominguez will be an excellent defensive third baseman. He has soft hands and a strong, accurate arm. In fact, some FSL observers believe he'd be one of the better third basemen in the majors and even challenge for a Gold Glove right now. "He's cool and collected over there," Teufel said. "No grounder gives him problems. He's got good footwork." There are some concerns about Dominguez's bat, however. The only time he really has hit with authority was last year at low Class A Greensboro, where he benefited from an extremely favorable home ballpark. Some scouts think Dominguez has a slider-speed bat and will struggle to catch up to good fastballs. He has a solid plan at the plate and draws some walks, and he did improve in the second half. But he also batted just .186/.292/.320 following an August promotion to Double-A, and he may have average power at best. He's a below-average runner.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #5 prospect in 2008
  Dominguez missed the first six weeks of the season with mononucleosis, and it took him a while to regain his strength as well as the 15 pounds he lost during his illness. Once he did, the 12th overall pick in the 2007 draft showed stellar defensive abilities as well as the ability to hit for average and power. His bat was somewhat of a question, both prior to the 2007 draft and again after he hit .158 in his pro debut. Dominguez erased many of those doubts with his easy bat speed, fluid swing and impressive hands, which enabled him to rank fourth in the league in slugging percentage (.499). Greensboro manager Edwin Rodriguez actually compares Dominguez's stance to Babe Ruth's. Dominiguez also maintained his reputation as a stellar defender. The only thing he doesn't do well is run. "He makes plays to his left as well as anyone I've seen at this level," Langbehn said. "He has real soft hands. And his bat plays. He has a little bit of an inside-out swing, and he needs to make the adjustment with fastballs in, but he showed me the ability to hit."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #81 prospect in 2011
• Ranked Baseball America's #64 prospect in 2009

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The No. 1 prospect on this list a year ago, he entered spring training favored to win a starting job. But he batted just .190 and was reassigned to minor league camp, where a pitch broke his left elbow and cost him the first five weeks of the season. Scouting Report: Dominguez's calling card always has been his defense. He possesses Gold Glove ability, with good anticipation, quick feet, smooth hands and a strong, accurate arm. He has yet to make the same kind of impact at the plate, however. Dominguez's hand-eye coordination works against him, as he believes he can put the bat on pitches he needs to let go. He gets tied up on the inner half and rarely drives balls. If he can become more selective and repeat his swing, he could become an average hitter with average power. He has below-average speed but good instincts. The Future: After making his big league debut in September, Dominguez will challenge for the third-base job again but may need more time at Triple-A New Orleans before his bat is ready.