There has been plenty of speculation this spring about who the New York Yankees will choose to fill the designated hitter role, especially after Giancarlo Stanton left camp early due to elbow pain, which is expected to keep him out until at least the end of May. Many have suggested potential trade or free agent targets to replace the slugger.
But the solution may have been right under their noses all along.
In Wednesday’s 9-7 victory over the Phillies, Ben Rice hit his team-leading fifth home run of the spring, along with two walks. Despite going 0-for-4 on Thursday, Rice’s spring performance stands out with a .260/.339/.899 slash line and 9 RBIs, which ties him for third on the team.
“It’s fun to watch,” said Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger. “He seems to have a really good idea of what he wants and what he wants to accomplish.”
What stands out isn’t just the production, but how Rice is achieving it. His home run on Wednesday against Phillies starter Taijuan Walker left the bat at an impressive 110.3 mph. In a 6-5 loss to Toronto earlier in the week, Rice launched his fourth homer of the spring, a 415-foot shot hit at 105.8 mph. That wasn’t even his hardest-hit ball of the night, as he also ripped an RBI single at 111.1 mph. “He’s controlling every at-bat, it seems, and hitting the absolute (expletive) out of the ball,” Bellinger added.
As of Monday, Rice’s average exit velocity this spring was 97.4 mph, one of the highest marks of any hitter. For context, Aaron Judge led the majors in regular season exit velocity last year with 96.2 mph.
“It’s impressive,” manager Aaron Boone remarked. “He can hit. He’s got real juice everywhere.”
Rice, drafted in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, had a rough rookie season in 2024, posting a .171/.264/.613 slash line over 152 at-bats with 7 home runs and 23 RBIs. However, he’s put on 10 pounds of muscle since last year, which he credits for his improved performance at the plate. “It definitely helps,” Rice said. “It’s just putting more force in the ball, more mass behind it. Put it in the air, good things are going to happen.”
Primarily a first baseman, Rice can also play catcher, which adds value as he vies for a spot on the Yankees’ roster as spring training concludes.
“I don’t see this as a complete mystery guess,” said Joel Sherman on the Pinstripe Post podcast. “I think on our first show of spring, I said the Yankees think he’s going to be a five-hole hitter. Now, did they think he’d get there in 2025? I’m not sure, but he doesn’t lack for confidence.”
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