By far one of the most pleasant surprises for the New York Yankees last season was the emergence of first baseman Ben Rice. The 26-year-old was quietly one of New York’s best hitters, and his solid slash line of .255/.337/.499 doesn’t even tell the whole story.
Earning a spot on the Yankees’ roster after appearing in 50 games in 2024, Rice was not on many teams’ radar as a legitimate threat at the plate. After all, he hit just .171 with a .613 OPS in his rookie campaign. But after Giancarlo Stanton went down with tendonitis in both elbows during Spring Training, Rice ended up cracking the everyday lineup. Filling in at DH and first base.
Rice Rice, Baby
Though his final stats are not overly impressive, having hit 26 home runs and driven in 65 runs, the underlying metrics tell a different story. In fact, the YouTube channel Wilytics published a video in August entitled “We Are Witnessing the Unluckiest Season in Baseball History” (referring to Rice). That assertion is not actually too far off.
According to Baseball Savant, Rice’s stats ended up being much lower than their expected (x) counterparts. They include (but are not limited to) an xBA of .290, an xSLG of .550, and an xwOBA of .395, all of which were in the top 95% of all Major Leaguers last year. He also had an average exit velocity of 93.3 mph, a hard hit rate of 56.1%, and a barrel rate of 15.4%. In other words, Rice hit the ball harder and made more solid contact than upwards of 90% of qualified hitters in 2025. To put it even more plainly, it means that Rice wasn’t just one of the Yankees’ best hitters. Rather, he was one of the best pure hitters in the entire league.
Will It Translate?
Of course, there are plenty of players who break out one year and fall back into the realm of baseball obscurity the next. However, in most of these cases, players do not have the underlying metrics proving their breakout was not a fluke. Rice obviously does, so the Yankees should expect similar (if not even more) production from their first baseman in 2026.
In fact, the Yankees shouldn’t just expect solid numbers out of Rice. They will need him to perform well, otherwise their lineup poses much less of a threat. New York’s offense already looks less potent than it was just a few months ago. With the prospects of signing either Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker looking less and less likely as the offseason winds on. They will need guys like Aaron Judge, Rice, and Giancarlo Stanton to be at their very best if they want any shot of making a run at the postseason.
Beyond 2026
Rice’s value also goes beyond his hitting skills. Before switching to first base, Rice came up through the minor leagues as a catcher. He even appeared behind the dish in 36 games for the Yankees last season. Granted, his defensive skills could use a lot of work before he could become a full-time catcher. But the fact remains that Rice could be one of New York’s most vital assets both next season and for years to come.
Main Photo Credits: John Jones-Imagn Images