First baseman Dominic Smith has opted out of his contract with the New York Yankees after spending the initial two months of the 2025 season with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, as reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan. At 29 years of age, Smith is now a free agent, marking another milestone in his career.

Throughout his six-season tenure with the New York Mets, Smith also played with the Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox, and Cincinnati Reds over the past three years. He entered the Yankees' spring training camp as a non-roster invite and ultimately chose to opt out of his original deal, only to re-sign on a new minor league contract with the franchise on March 31. During the time of his initial opt-out, Smith had posted a batting average of .297, hitting three home runs in just 13 Grapefruit League games.

The Yankees' roster presented challenges for Smith, particularly with a crowded outfield and the presence of Paul Goldschmidt at first base. Additionally, Ben Rice secured the opportunity to fill in for Giancarlo Stanton at designated hitter. Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed confidence in Smith, stating, “I think clearly he's a big league player. He’s been great in the room. He’s performed. I feel like he’s in really good shape.” Despite not making the 40-man roster, Smith has showcased strong minor league performance, boasting a .317/.389/.622 slash line over 23 games in May, with seven home runs and 22 RBIs, primarily in left field. While he has struggled to maintain consistent production in the majors since his days with the Mets, he secured a major league contract with the Reds shortly after being released by the Red Sox last season. Smith now aims to parlay his impressive Triple-A performance into another opportunity on an MLB roster.