This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it commonly in your inbox.
Ben Rice’s energy surge has continued into the highest ranks of the Yankees’ farm system, which has the sweet-swinging lefty banging on the door for a giant league callup — doubtlessly as quickly as this season.
Editor’s Be aware: The Yankees are set to name up Rice, in keeping with MLB Community insider Joel Sherman, with Anthony Rizzo reportedly set to overlook 4-6 weeks with a proper arm fracture. The membership has not confirmed Rice’s callup or Rizzo’s harm.
Rated because the Yankees’ No. 12 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Rice was promoted from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on June 5. The 25-year-old has rapidly adjusted to the Worldwide League’s extra skilled hurlers; via Rice’s first 11 video games as a RailRider, he has gone 14-for-42 (.333) with three homers and 10 RBIs.
“It’s simply persevering with to see extra pitching,” Rice stated just lately. “The extra I acquired used to the stuff that guys had at this stage or in professional ball generally, the extra I used to be capable of take that energy I’ve in follow settings and see it translate to the sport.”
A Twelfth-round decide by the Yankees within the 2021 MLB Draft out of Dartmouth, Rice compiled a .261/.382/.511 slash line in 49 video games at Double-A this season, slugging 12 homers with 26 RBIs.
That adopted a profitable promotion to that stage on the finish of 2023, when Rice hit .327/.401/.648 with 16 homers and 48 RBIs in 48 video games at Somerset.
“This man is aware of what he desires to do, getting as much as the plate,” stated Somerset coach Kevin Martir. “He works, trains actually onerous. He’s doing his homework the evening earlier than on the beginning pitchers, and even the relievers. The man is sort of a stay digital camera. He remembers all the things from the at-bat earlier than, or an at-bat a 12 months earlier than. He’s like, ‘Oh, I keep in mind this man. He did this, this and that.’ That’s actually onerous to return by.”
Drafted as a catcher, Rice has been logging elevated reps at first base, a place the Cohasset, Mass., native started taking part in in 2022 whereas with Single-A Tampa. Rice’s defensive appearances within the Minors this 12 months have virtually been even; he has began 28 video games behind the plate and 22 video games at first base, which isn’t any accident.
“I’m going to be wherever they want me to be,” Rice stated. “I’m extra skilled as a catcher than at first base, so I’d suppose that’s the place I primarily can be. But when first base is the place they ever want me to be, I’d be capable of go over there too.”
Regardless of a tough efficiency on Sunday through which Jose Trevino noticed 9 stolen bases on his watch, the Yankees appear assured of their catching scenario on the huge league stage. Even earlier than an harm to Anthony Rizzo on Sunday, their long-term imaginative and prescient for first base appeared much less settled; Rizzo’s offensive efficiency has dipped, and he might turn into a free agent after this season if New York chooses to purchase out his $17 million possibility, a transfer that will price $6 million.
Yankees managing normal accomplice Hal Steinbrenner has spoken about his need to maintain subsequent 12 months’s payroll beneath $300 million; the promotions of younger gamers like Rice can be important for that aim, particularly if the membership is ready to re-sign Juan Soto.
“I really feel good over there [at first base],” Rice stated. “It’s a studying course of, like another place can be. Infield just isn’t one thing that’s completely overseas to me. I used to play second base so much after I was youthful, so it’s actually simply persevering with to get reps over there. It’s identical to something; you’ve simply acquired to maintain going on the market and preserve seeing balls come off the bat, getting grounders, understanding the place to be on the sphere in numerous conditions. However I positively just like the enhancements I’ve revamped there up to now.”
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre: First baseman T.J. Rumfield has been among the many RailRiders’ most constant hitters. By way of Sunday’s motion, Rumfield is batting .303/.358/.454 with 13 doubles, 5 homers and 32 RBIs in 47 Triple-A video games.
Double-A Somerset: Catcher Agustin Ramirez hit his sixteenth dwelling run on Saturday, marking his fourth consecutive multihit recreation and seventeenth of the season. The Yanks’ No. 20 prospect in keeping with MLB Pipeline, Ramirez leads Jap League hitters in homers, RBIs (47), complete bases (128) and extra-base hits (30). He’s additionally second within the league in runs (46).
Excessive-A Hudson Valley: Infielder Jared Serna stays the most effective hitters within the South Atlantic League. The Yanks’ No. 19 prospect, Serna is using a nine-game hitting streak, throughout which he has batted .441 (15-for-34) with seven doubles, 5 RBIs and a 1.134 OPS. Serna paces the league in doubles (19) and is tied for the lead in extra-base hits (30).
Single-A Tampa: Proper-hander Cade Smith struck out six in his most up-to-date begin on Saturday at Clearwater, giving him a Florida State League-leading 74 strikeouts this season. The Yanks’ No. 23 prospect, Smith has pitched to a 3-4 document and a 3.28 ERA in 12 video games (11 begins), spanning 57 2/3 innings.
