The New York Yankees didn’t expect Ben Rice to force his way into the lineup as quickly as he did, but sometimes a bat gets so loud you can’t ignore it. By the end of 2025, the young left-handed slugger wasn’t just a fill-in or a developmental piece. He became one of the most productive hitters on the roster and played his way into the Yankees’ long-term plans.
Ben Rice wasn’t supposed to be a star — but he hit like one
Rice entered the season expected to float between backup catcher duties and occasional reps at first base. Instead, he turned 138 games into a breakout campaign that completely shifted the team’s thinking.
He hit .255/.337/.499 with 26 homers and 65 RBIs, putting up a 133 wRC+ and showing discipline far beyond his experience level. His strikeout rate sat at a manageable 18.9%, and his 9.4% walk rate helped him stay competitive in every at-bat.
For a 26-year-old in his first full season, that’s borderline elite production.
Elite underlying metrics backed up the breakout
What made Rice’s emergence even more convincing was how dominant his underlying contact quality looked. He ranked in the 92nd percentile or better in barrel rate, average exit velocity, and hard-hit rate. Those numbers don’t lie — hitters who live in that range consistently become middle-of-the-order forces.
Even his plate decisions graded extremely well. Rice sat in the 91st percentile in chase rate and the 71st percentile in whiff rate. Players who combine power with patience tend to age well and remain productive even as scouting reports tighten around them.
His expected results suggested he could’ve been even better. Plenty of hard-hit balls died at the warning track or found gloves, a sign that a bit of positive regression could be waiting in 2026.
A clear path opens with Goldschmidt departing
With Paul Goldschmidt hitting free agency and unlikely to return, the Yankees suddenly have an everyday position ready to be claimed. Rice fits naturally at first base, and his defensive work there continued to improve as the year went on.
More importantly, the Yankees no longer have to overthink the decision. They don’t need to chase a veteran stopgap or platoon their way through the season. They already have a cheap, controllable, productive first baseman in-house — the exact type of player teams dream of developing.
That’s why general manager Brian Cashman didn’t mince words.
“I view Ben Rice as having an everyday role in the big leagues for us next year,” Cashman said, confirming what Rice’s bat made obvious.
Unlocking more flexibility across the roster
The emergence of Rice gives the Yankees something they’ve lacked for years: stability at first base without paying premium free-agent dollars. It also lets them allocate money toward bigger needs, like outfield depth, bullpen support, and shortstop insurance while Anthony Volpe rehabs his shoulder.
A young left-handed hitter who crushes the ball and doesn’t chase is the perfect counterbalance to the lineup’s right-handed power core. Keeping Rice locked into everyday reps could help lengthen the batting order and make the offense more consistent down the stretch.
The Yankees needed a breakthrough — and they found one
Rice’s rise didn’t just fill a gap. It solved a long-term question about who the Yankees can trust at first base as they build around stars like Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger.
He’s the type of player who helps reshape a team’s identity — disciplined, powerful, and patient. And if his expected numbers push closer to reality, he might be even better next season.
For a franchise that desperately needed internal wins, Rice delivered one of the biggest of the year. The Yankees will enter 2026 with clarity at a key position, and now the only question is how impactful Ben Rice can be.
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