The Yankees have called up prospect Ben Rice to fill the spot left vacant by Anthony Rizzo, who is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks with an arm injury. Rice, a 25-year-old first baseman and catcher, is ranked as the Yankees’ No. 13 prospect by MLB Pipeline. This marks his major league debut, and he will have the chance to showcase his skills in upcoming games.
Throughout the season, Rice has performed well in 60 games split between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, maintaining a batting average of .275 with 15 home runs, 12 doubles, 36 RBI, and 45 runs scored. Over the course of four minor league seasons, he boasts a strong slash line of .284/.397/.523 with 47 home runs in 224 games. The Yankees are hopeful that Rice’s impressive track record will translate to success at the major league level.
With Rice’s call-up, the Yankees are looking to bolster their depth at first base, especially with Rizzo out of the lineup. While Rice may see some playing time at first base, DJ LeMahieu is also a viable option to fill in during Rizzo’s absence. LeMahieu faced his own injury earlier in the season and has struggled at the plate since returning with a batting line of .188/.304/.188 in 15 games. It will be interesting to see how the Yankees manage their first base situation with both Rice and LeMahieu in the mix.
