Numerous noteworthy moves outside of the top 10 can be found in Baseball America’s preseason update of their top 30 Yankees prospects. Indeed, there is more to be found in the system than merely Jasson Dominguez’s ascent, although that much was already apparent from the exit velocities.
Not even among the more well-known names in the system is there a lack of mystery and intrigue. When Henry Lalane brings his well-honed lefty arsenal to full-season ball, will he make the breakthrough that many predict? Will it be worth waiting for George Lombard Jr. to make his shortstop debut? Is Jared Serna able to continue his all-around rise?
Surprisingly enough, though, one of the system’s breakout players from the previous several years is beginning to gain some national recognition. Ben Rice transformed from a mid-tier offensive prospect with a mid-tier ceiling to a formidable offensive force almost instantly. It’s evident now that Baseball America does not consider him to be a one-time event or a position-less bat with a short career.
Rather, they rank Rice as the system’s 12th-best prospect, and considering his Double-A output from the previous season, he may just be making his way onto the major leagues by the end of 2024.
Ben Rice of the Yankees soars to the No. 12 spot on Baseball America’s Top 30 Prospects.
It’s safe to say that Rice is no longer an adorable Ivy League tale. He’s a bat that has to be noticed.
Rice, a slugger (good) from Massachusetts, turns 25 in February. The bat already plays; he hit 20 home runs in just 275 at-bats the previous season, earning a.324 average and 1.045 OPS across three levels, even though there may not be much physical maxing out left in his frame. After starting at Single-A Tampa and making good progress to Hudson Valley, Rice really excelled at Double-A, hitting 16 of his 20 home runs in 48 games.
It goes without saying that having a professional’s opinion adds valuable weight to the possibility that the Yankees may have something here, even though the Ivy League 12th-round pick thrived in just his second full-season season of pro ball (though his.810 OPS in his first season was nothing to scoff at, either).
Anticipate a look at Rice during spring training and a little spotlight when he starts playing in the regular season, most likely in Triple-A Scranton. But after reading the most recent evaluation, fans’ dreams of a big-league run just got easier.
Leave a Reply