Ben Rice has performed extra video games within the majors (12) than he did at Triple-A (11).
And he’s doing it at a place the place he’d began simply 52 video games within the execs earlier than his promotion to The Bronx final month.
However it wasn’t the 25-year-old’s protection that prompted the Yankees to decide on Rice to exchange Anthony Rizzo at first base when Rizzo went down with a fractured proper forearm.
It was his bat.
In that division, though it’s been simply 40 plate appearances, Rice hasn’t disillusioned.
Among the many causes the Yankees had their eyes on Rice when Rizzo went down is that he constantly had good at-bats all through his minor league profession.
The group valued Rice’s plate self-discipline, in addition to his energy.
Each attributes have proven throughout his transient time within the majors, as Rice has steadied the first-base place, with DJ LeMahieu maybe lastly warming up on the plate whereas taking part in third.
“He’s as marketed,’’ stated one American League scout who has seen Rice in two sequence since being known as up. “He has a relaxed presence on the plate, which you’ll be able to’t educate. He confirmed it within the minors, nevertheless it doesn’t at all times translate right here.”
As proof, Rice’s strikeout proportion of 12.5 is the bottom on the group and his stroll fee of 15 % trails solely the famously affected person Juan Soto, in addition to Aaron Choose.
On the subject of energy, Rice has a median exit velocity of 91.5 mph, good for fourth on the group, behind Choose, Soto and Giancarlo Stanton.
“Since we’ve had him right here, certainly one of his calling playing cards has been strike-zone self-discipline,” stated Kevin Reese, vice chairman of participant improvement. “Some guys are actually good at shedding pitches out of the zone and a few guys are actually good at swinging at pitches within the zone. Not many guys mix these issues and swing in any respect the suitable pitches. Soto might be one of the best at that and Ben has finished a pleasant job of that.”
“At that age, to come back in right here, the groups he’s performed are some powerful groups in powerful environments,’’ Choose stated in Toronto. “I’m going again to the sport [Saturday]. He comes up and will get slotted into that two-hole actual fast, comes out of the gate with a pleasant line drive to left-center. It’s simply spectacular at-bat after spectacular at-bat. We noticed what he was doing within the minor leagues and it’s actually translating properly up right here.”
Aaron Boone additionally famous the standard of Rice’s at-bats and the supervisor additionally famous “his capacity to affect the ball.”
Boone additionally stated Rice has “held his personal” in opposition to lefties, however that’s the place Rice’s résumé weakens — and the place JD Davis may are available.
Rice is simply 1-for-12 with a stroll and 4 strikeouts in 13 plate appearances versus lefties, whereas he has a .958 OPS in 27 plate appearances in opposition to right-handers.
His splits weren’t as slanted within the minors this season (.936-.783), nevertheless it’s simple to see why the Yankees need the right-handed Davis round to go up in opposition to no less than some lefties.
On the opposite facet of the ball, Rice’s defensive metrics aren’t nice, however he’s largely been no less than common on the place, and the Yankees don’t have a defensive stalwart to show to there, anyway.
And the Yankees, Reese stated, proceed to imagine he generally is a catcher on the main league degree.
“When he went to Triple-A, we had conversations with him and stated, ‘We all know you’re a catcher and nonetheless suppose you’re a catcher, however we wish to have some protection [at first base],’’’ Reese stated of Rice’s promotion from Double-A Somerset lower than a month in the past.
The Yankees, Reese stated, have been in search of “insurance coverage insurance policies” at totally different spots.
As a result of they’ve quite a lot of catching prospects, Rice’s workload at first elevated.
“I’m certain when he daydreamed about being within the huge leagues, it was as a catcher and never a primary baseman, however right here we’re.”
For the reason that Yankees’ future at first base is unclear and Jose Trevino and Austin Wells are entrenched at catcher, it’s unclear when Rice may get again behind the plate, however the Yankees like his ability set as a catcher.
“We’ll see the way it shakes out over time,’’ Reese stated.
For now, Rice is at first and the Reds, who come to Yankee Stadium for a three-game set starting Tuesday, are scheduled to start out a pair of right-handers, together with ex-Yankee Frankie Montas, so Rice ought to proceed to get loads of taking part in time.
With the commerce deadline 4 weeks from Tuesday, the Yankees nonetheless have to find out whether or not their infield is robust sufficient to contend for a title, however for no less than the previous two weeks, Rice has given them one thing to consider.
— Extra reporting by Greg Joyce
