1 obvious and 1 hidden upside to Yankees' young star Ben Rice

It feels like yesterday that New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice was called up to the majors amid a rash of injuries to the team last season. Flashes of productivity, such as his historic three-home run game, gave fans and media members reason to believe he would be a solid MLB player at some point.

But even the most optimistic individual may not have predicted the growth that the New England native has enjoyed to start 2025. Rice has been deadly at the dish, and also offers positional flexibility that the Yankees should see as a valuable asset.

While Rice left Saturday's game after a gnarly-looking HBP, the swelling has reportedly decreased, and all CT scans and X-Rays came back negative. Hopefully, he'll be back in full force soon, and able to provide his unique value to the roster.

1 obvious and 1 hidden upside to Yankees' young star Ben Rice

Through his first 16 games, Rice has bashed five home runs, collected seven RBI, and earned a 1.003 OPS. To put this in perspective, he hit seven home runs, tallied 23 RBI, and posted a .613 OPS across 50 games last season.

“The approach has been a little stronger, a little more conviction in what I'm doing,” Rice said in an interview with MLB Network, regarding his hitting stance.

Whatever changes the 26-year-old has made have clearly paid off. According to Baseball Savant, Rice currently ranks in the 99th percentile in Hard Hit% and Barrel%. He also ranks in the 92nd percentile in Chase%.

He is a more disciplined hitter this year, and has quickly become one of the lineup's most productive members. While this is what Rice will primarily bring to the table throughout his career, he has also made his case as a serviceable fist baseman with a brand of flexibility that is rare.

It is far too early to determine if Rice could be a Gold Glove player. Still, his past willingness to return to catcher, the position he came into MLB associated with, is a critical trait.

“That was the biggest thing, because I knew I was going to be getting more looks over there,” Rice said during spring training. “Number one was just going to be the ability to manage a big league pitching staff, to confidently prepare for games and work with our pitchers. From a catching standpoint, receiving has always been my strength, so [a focus was] to just continue improving on my blocking and throwing.”

Even if New York never decides to give Rice regular reps behind the plate, the fact that he can catch at all is an asset that can keep their lineup flexible if needed. Further, his slug makes him a viable designated hitter for the foreseeable future.

Rice has been excellent, and the Yankees may not have even unlocked his full potential yet.