The Major League Baseball season is almost here, and with all of the noise and hype come players that we may never have heard of or… are confused as to why we are hearing their name so much. I follow baseball extremely closely all year long, but sometimes there are just names that slip through the cracks that number people just love. Their names get slung up your fantasy draft board or shoved down your throat on sports talk radio or network television. The name that is captivating all baseball fans everywhere, especially because he plays in a big market, is Ben Rice.Â
Ben Rice is now the starting first baseman for the New York Yankees after splitting time with future Hall of Famer Paul Goldschmidt last season. He will now get the bulk of the time at first base with some positional flexibility for the Yankees or your fantasy team, as he got some run at catcher behind the dish as well. Ben Rice clubbed 26 Home Runs, with a .255 batting average and a.337 On Base Percentage. These are really impressive numbers for a true rookie, but what is the reason why Rice’s stock is so high, and I cannot have a baseball conversation without hearing his name? Let’s take a look at the numbers.
Inside the Numbers
Ben Rice’s look inside the hood provides a deeper context as to why he is such a hot name this offseason. His BABIP (Batting average on Balls in Play) was only .271, which is not very high (Higher than his .255 actual batting average), but not much higher. But if we take a look at his expected batting average,e we will see a much different story. His XBA (Expected Batting Average) is .283, which ranked in the 94th percentile in all of major league baseball. This is a story that is ongoing and only gets more encouraging.
If you load up Ben Rice’s Baseball Savant, it will be a sea of red. Not to get political and all that is going on around the Red Sea, but it is a tremendous outlook for Ben Rice. He had an average Exit Velocity in 2025 of 93.3, which ranks inside the top 5% of all MLB hitters. His xSLG (Expected Slugging Percentage) is also much higher than his actual numbers, at .557. This was inside the top 3% of all MLB hitters, too. He also ranked inside the top 3% of MLB Hitters in other statistics as well, including xwOBA and Hard Hit %. These two things are extremely important when it comes to predictions and projections for major league baseball players. Of course, this could all go up in flames with a pulled hamstring, but Ben Rice is hoping to scratch the surface of something big here.
Lineup Context
The New York Yankees have gotten a lot of criticism this offseason for “running it back, but they were the number one offense in baseball last season, and if Ben Rice only gets better and cannot hurt the offense at all. He will have the best hitters in baseball, Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, right in front of him. And behind will be Giancarlo Stanton and Jazz Chisholm Jr. behind. Along with his sweet lefty swing in Yankee Stadium with the short porch in right field. If you are a major fantasy baseball player, you will see him going in the 6th to 10th round range, so do not be surprised when he is gone out of your queue early. A lot of the MLB industry is buying into Ben Rice this offseason, and these are just a few reasons why I am in, and here is some context as to why you should be too.
