New York Yankees 2023 Top 30 Prospect Wraps: Ben Rice

A young catcher/first baseman, Ben Rice's development in the New York Yankees' system is starting to accelerate.

InsideThePinstripes.com will review each of the New York Yankees’ Top 30 prospects, as ranked by MLB.com at the end of the 2023 season.

No. 23: C/1B Ben Rice, Tampa Tarpons (Class-A), Somerset Patriots (Double-A), Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A)

Statistics for 2023: (73 games): Slashed .324/.434/.615/1.049 with 18 doubles, one triple, 20 home runs, 68 RBI, 62 runs, 62 strikeouts, 44 walks, 11 stolen bases.

With Tampa (10 games): .286/.405/.543/.948, three doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, seven runs, 10 strikeouts, five walks, one stolen bases.

With Hudson Valley (15 games): .341/.559/.523/1.082, two doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI, 15 runs, 10 strikeouts, 18 walks, three stolen bases.

With Somerset (48 games): .327/.401/.648/1.049, 13 doubles, one triple, 16 home runs, 48 RBI, 40 runs, 42 strikeouts, 21 walks, seven stolen bases.

Season Transactions: Rice started the season at High-A Hudson Valley. He was placed on the 7-day injured list on April 2. On July 1 he started a rehab assignment at Class-A Tampa. On July 18, he was activated and promoted to Somerset.

Season Summary: Everywhere Rice went, he raked. His worst slash line was at Tampa on a rehab assignment and his best was at Hudson Valley, where he only spent 15 games. Even after the promotion to Somerset, he kept his average above .300 and showed off the power numbers that have the Yankees keeping a watchful eye on him. With the acceleration of some catching prospects through the system, that helped Rice move up a rung to Double-A by season’s end.

Path Through the Organization: Rice could have been lost in the shuffle of the COVID-19 pandemic, but his play in the Cape Cod League caught the eyes of the Yankees, who took him in the 12th round in 2021. He played just 22 games in 2021 with the Yankees’ rookie league and Class-A affiliate in Tampa and spent all of 2022 in Tampa before he zoomed up to Double-A this season. All that and he missed two months at the start of this season due to a back injury.

What’s next: Like other Yankees catching prospects, Rice will need to prove his versatility if he wants to clear a path to the Majors. He’s already logged time at first base, and his best shot at promotion is either behind the plate or on the corners. MLB.com doesn’t project him as a big power hitter, but he has good plate discipline. For 2024, a start at Somerset is likely with an emphasis on improving against left-handed pitching.

2023 New York Yankees Top 30 Prospect Wraps:

No. 30 Elijah Dunham | No. 29 Danny Watson | No. 28 Edgar Barclay | No. 27 Justin Lange | No. 26 Yoendrys Gomez | No. 25 Matt Sauer | No. 24 Agustin Ramirez |