When the New York Yankees signed veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt last December, the move was less about panic and more about patience. The front office wanted stability while giving Ben Rice — a talented but unproven young slugger — time to grow into his own. What they ended up getting was a glimpse of the future.
By the end of 2025, it was clear Rice didn’t need training wheels anymore. He didn’t just earn his spot — he demanded it.
A Year That Announced His Arrival
Rice’s 2024 season hinted at promise, the kind of flashes that make scouts scribble “potential breakout” in their notebooks. In 2025, that potential turned into production. Rice hit .255/.337/.499 with 26 home runs, 74 runs scored, and 65 RBI across 138 games — good for a 133 wRC+ and 3.0 fWAR.
Those numbers don’t just reflect a young player adjusting to major-league life; they mark the rise of a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat. The Yankees hadn’t seen a rookie first baseman (who can also play behind the plate, by the way) make this kind of impact in years. Rice’s bat became a consistent source of thunder in a lineup that too often leaned on its veterans.
He wasn’t merely feasting on one side of the platoon split either. Rice crushed right-handers with a 141 wRC+, but more importantly, he held his own against lefties at 104 — a crucial sign of maturity for a young hitter still learning how to handle big-league breaking balls.
The Perfect Compliment — And What Comes Next
Goldschmidt was brought in to steady the position and help mentor Rice through the grind of a full season. The strategy worked beautifully. The two formed a quiet but effective tandem — one providing veteran steadiness, the other raw, rising energy.
Heading into 2026, the Yankees could easily hand Rice the job full-time. But even if they bring in another right-handed complement, the blueprint remains clear: Rice is the centerpiece now. What New York chooses to surround him with will depend more on lineup balance than doubt in his ability.
The front office could seek a glove-first veteran with power against lefties, someone who offers depth while letting Rice continue to grow naturally. But it’s also possible they’ve already seen enough to hand him the keys.
Under the Hood: Signs of Even More Power
For all his progress, Rice’s breakout might only be the beginning. Beneath the traditional stats lies evidence that an even bigger season could be coming. His .358 wOBA was impressive — but his expected wOBA (xwOBA) was a jaw-dropping .410, a number that sits comfortably among elite hitters.
The advanced data paints a picture of a player with serious offensive polish. Rice hits the ball hard, draws walks, and rarely chases out of the zone. His contact quality stands out — particularly when he gets to pull-side power, where the ball jumps off his bat like it’s trying to leave the stadium entirely.
Statcast’s sea of red metrics on his profile tells the story of a hitter who knows exactly what he’s doing — and one who’s far from finished developing.
A Star in the Making
Every so often, a player emerges whose swing just looks different — smoother, more intentional, more confident. Ben Rice fits that mold. Watching him at the plate in 2025 felt a bit like seeing a young Paul Goldschmidt or Freddie Freeman before their primes — the mechanics weren’t flashy, but everything about the at-bats screamed “professional hitter.”
With a few more plate appearances and a touch of luck, Rice could be knocking on the door of a 35-homer season as soon as next year.
The Yankees set out to find their first baseman of the future. What they discovered instead was that he’s already here — standing tall at first base, wearing pinstripes, and ready to make the Bronx his home for years to come.
