dailyloe.com – Ben Rice is hitting well as the New York Yankees’ cleanup hitter this season. The former Dartmouth catcher has started the year with a strong performance. His rise was observed firsthand by teammate Will Warren.
Warren and Rice were drafted four rounds apart in 2021. Warren watched Rice terrorize pitchers at every minor league level. Rice reached the major leagues in June 2024.
Last season, Rice crushed baseballs to all fields. The results did not fully reflect the process, however. Warren is not surprised by Rice’s current performance.
“Ben Rice is averaging out right now,” Warren said with a smile. It is still very early in the season. Rice has played 11 games so far.
He is 12-for-37 at the plate this season. Rice has three home runs and 11 RBIs. He also has 11 walks through those 11 games.
Rice ranks among major league leaders in traditional metrics. This includes on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He also leads in modern metrics like xwOBA.
His hard-hit percentage is among the league leaders as well. Rice managed the Yankees’ lineup from the cleanup spot. His under-the-radar rise continues in New York.[]
Source: ESPN
