Ben Rice’s power surge
Yankees infielder Ben Rice launched his sixth home run of the season in recent MLB action, a sign of early power at the plate. The swing was highlighted alongside other viral baseball moments on social platforms. (x.com)
Ben Rice hit his sixth home run of 2026 on April 17, a two-run shot that started the Yankees’ 4-2 win over Kansas City at Yankee Stadium. (mlb.com) The homer came in the fourth inning off Royals right-hander Michael Wacha on an 80.1 mile-per-hour changeup. Statcast measured it at 103.3 miles per hour off the bat, a 21-degree launch angle and 363 feet to right field. (mlb.com) Rice had six home runs through his first 19 games and 74 plate appearances this season, while FanGraphs listed him with a.339 batting average,.459 on-base percentage and.746 slugging percentage entering April 18. (fangraphs.com) He is a left-handed hitter the Yankees have used mostly at first base, with Baseball-Reference listing first base and catcher as his positions. Rice was drafted out of Dartmouth in the 12th round in 2021 and made his major league debut on June 18, 2024. (baseball-reference.com) Rice’s power is not new to the Yankees’ system. On July 6, 2024, he became the first rookie in franchise history to hit three home runs in one game, doing it against Boston in the Bronx. (mlb.com) The Yankees entered April 18 at 11-9, a half-game behind Tampa Bay in the American League East, so early run production from Rice has landed in games with division weight. Kansas City fell to 7-13 with the loss. (espn.com) Rice’s latest homer also fit a pattern from this month. MLB highlights show his fourth homer on April 10 traveled 411 feet to center field at 104.4 miles per hour off the bat, another hard-hit ball from the left side. (mlb.com) At 27, Rice is no longer a prospect in waiting so much as a regular bat getting everyday chances in April. The Yankees’ next games will show whether this opening burst settles into a steady middle-of-the-order role. (baseball-reference.com)
