A Promising Start to 2025

Ben Rice has made the Yankees’ Opening Day roster for the 2025 season, immediately making an impact by hitting .375 with two homers and a 1.349 OPS during the team’s first homestand.

The talk of Yankees Spring Training centered around Rice’s physical transformation – he had notably bulked up and strengthened his frame. This improvement isn’t just anecdotal; Rice is swinging the bat significantly faster, with data showing he’s added over 3.5 mph of bat speed from 2024 to 2025.

Technical Improvements

Rice’s average bat speed has jumped from 71.4 mph as a rookie to 75.0 mph this year. The results are evident in his performance – his average exit velocity of 100.5 mph leads the Majors, even surpassing Aaron Judge. Impressively, eight of his ten batted balls have been classified as hard-hit, with half qualifying as barrels.

A key to Rice’s success has been his modified batting stance. He’s adopted a new open stance that’s more than three times more open than in 2024, allowing him to turn on the ball with greater authority and drive it to right field effectively.

Recent Achievements

Rice’s power was on full display on May 11, 2025, when he launched a grand slam against the Athletics, helping extend the Yankees’ lead to 10-1. The home run was particularly impressive, with an exit velocity of 111.2 mph and traveling 398 feet.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead, Rice’s impressive batting capabilities suggest he could become a regular at first base or designated hitter, with a potential starting role at first base as soon as 2026 when Paul Goldschmidt becomes a free agent. The Yankees maintain control of Rice through 2030, indicating their long-term commitment to his development.