The Yankees didn’t expect Ben Rice to walk into 2025 and steal the show, but here we are. The 26-year-old slugger isn’t just holding his own — he’s one of the best bats in the lineup. And if you’re looking for the prototypical “hard work pays off” story, Rice is putting together the kind of start that should be hanging on a locker room bulletin board.
A Changed Player With a Power Boost
After making 50 appearances in 2024, Rice returned to spring training this year with an extra 10 pounds of muscle and a new mission — turn warning-track fly balls into souvenirs. He wasn’t trying to reinvent himself, just refine the skills already flashing under the surface. That added strength has helped him square up balls more effectively, creating more lift and force behind each swing.
So far, it’s working like a charm.
In just 11 games this season, Rice is slashing .306/.419/.667 with three home runs, four RBIs, and a ridiculous 209 wRC+. He’s striking out at a 25.6% clip, walking 16.3% of the time, and showing an approach well beyond his experience.
An Elite Analytical Profile
Rice isn’t just surviving — he’s thriving in some of the most predictive hitting categories in the game.
He ranks in the 97th percentile or better in average exit velocity, barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and chase rate. In plain English: he’s not swinging at junk, and when he makes contact, he hits the ball like it owes him money.
His 97.5 mph average exit velocity is 7.5 mph faster than it was last year, and his hard-hit percentage sits at a whopping 72%. That’s not just “good” — that’s superstar territory. It’s becoming increasingly clear that this isn’t a small hot streak, but a legit breakout in the making.
Taking Over the Yankees’ Leadoff Role
Rice wasn’t penciled in as the team’s leadoff hitter when the season began. In fact, most wouldn’t have expected him to climb the lineup card so quickly, especially on a roster filled with heavy hitters like Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt. But manager Aaron Boone made the call — and Rice hasn’t given him a reason to look back.
He’s getting on base, working counts, and setting the table for the big bats. And when the Yankees needed a spark against the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon, Rice delivered once again. In a scoreless game, he launched a clutch home run to center field in the 7th, giving the Yankees a two-run lead. He finished the day with a hit, two RBIs, and a run — just another chapter in his rapidly growing résumé.
The Stanton Dilemma
The only real question now is what happens when Giancarlo Stanton returns from his double-elbow injury. Rice is primarily serving as the designated hitter, and it’s difficult to envision Boone removing him from the lineup if he continues to produce at this level. A platoon might be the answer, but that’s a decision the Yankees will wrestle with down the line.
Right now, Rice is doing more than filling a role — he’s forcing the Yankees to reconsider how they build their lineup around him. And outside of Aaron Judge, there may not be a more dangerous hitter in pinstripes to start the season.