The Bronx Bombers may have lost Juan Soto to the Mets this offseason, but they didn’t have to look far for a new source of power. In fact, he was already in their system.
Ben Rice, the 26-year-old left-handed slugger developed within the Yankees’ farm system, is off to a red-hot start in 2025 — one so electric it’s outshining none other than Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ captain and longtime face of the franchise.
Through the first 13 games of the season, Rice is slashing .310/.431/.690, with four home runs, five RBIs, and a jaw-dropping 216 wRC+ — a number that means he’s been 116% more productive than the average major league hitter. Statistically, he’s outpacing Judge across nearly every offensive category.
Judge, who remains a steady force in the lineup, has started 2025 with a respectable .265/.410/.408 slash line, one home run, and a 140 wRC+ — solid numbers by most standards, but modest compared to his usual dominance.
What makes Rice’s breakout even more impressive is the quality of his contact. His average exit velocity has jumped to 97.9 mph, and his isolated power (ISO) is a thunderous .381. According to Statcast, he ranks in the 100th percentile for exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit percentage — indicators that this isn’t a fluke. Rice is hitting the ball hard and often.
“He’s been tearing the cover off the ball,” said manager Aaron Boone. “We always believed in the bat, but what he’s doing right now — this kind of production, this early — it’s special.”
Originally drafted in the 12th round out of Dartmouth, Rice steadily climbed through the minor league system, building a reputation for his advanced approach at the plate and developing power. Now, he’s proving he can do damage at the highest level — and giving Yankees fans a reason to believe they may have found their next great slugger in-house.
His presence also brings a much-needed left-handed power element to a traditionally right-heavy lineup, giving the Yankees better balance and a new kind of threat in the middle of the order.
For years, the narrative around the Yankees has been that their offense begins and ends with Aaron Judge. But with Rice’s emergence, that story is evolving — and fast.
“It’s still early,” said Judge when asked about Rice’s torrid start, “but he’s the real deal. He’s fun to watch, and he’s just getting started.”
In a season where all eyes were on what the Yankees lost, Ben Rice is reminding everyone what they’ve been quietly building. And through two weeks of baseball, he’s not just living up to the moment — he’s rewriting it.
