The New York Yankees head into 2026 with several question marks at various positions, but fortunately for them, first base is well settled with a player who can help Aaron Judge shoulder the responsibility of taking the team to another level.
Ben Rice now has the opportunity to prove to Aaron Boone and the entire baseball world that he can be something special-just as various MLB insiders have been saying after seeing what he showed at only 26 years old last season.
For now, it’s Jim Bowden who dared to make a bold prediction on GM Territory Network, naming the Yankees first baseman as a breakout candidate.
“I’m going to go with first baseman Ben Rice. I’m a big believer that he’s going to be a 30-home run, 100-RBI type of player, maybe even more, given the confines of the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium. And the fact that he’s not going to be platooning with Paul Goldschmidt, doesn’t have to worry about at-bats. He’s basically going to be playing first almost every single day. I think Ben Rice is going to take his game to another level,” Bowden said.
Ben Rice posted a .255 batting average with 26 home runs and 65 RBIs during last season, albeit splitting his time between first base, designated hitter, and catcher across 138 games.
A full-time starting role is coming in 2026
With Paul Goldschmidt hitting free agency-and with expectations that he won’t return-Ben Rice is no longer expected to face left-handed pitchers from the bench. Team manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Rice will focus on being the everyday first baseman this season, and the idea of him being an everyday player in 2026 was also backed by general manager Brian Cashman.
The big question for Rice is whether he can perform better against left-handed pitching. Last year he struggled, hitting just .208 with a 27.7% strikeout rate against them. Without Goldschmidt as a platoon safety net, he’ll have to step up significantly to avoid criticism in that area.
If he can make that adjustment, he could become one of the New York Yankees’ primary offensive weapons, producing at a level comparable to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. That would undoubtedly be a very welcome surprise for the Yankees.
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