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Ben Rice's dream has come true.
The New York Yankees' first-time All-Star is participating in Monday night's MLB Home Run Derby, taking his cuts with some of the league's biggest sluggers at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, home of the Phillies.
Hours before the Derby began, Rice was named the AL's Player of the Week, batting .423 (11-for-26) with five home runs, 12 RBI and a 1.577 OPS, as the Yanks moved into the break on a four-game winning streak.
Here's what to know about Rice as he participates in the Home Run Derby:
Rice, who is 27 years old, has been with the Yankees organization for five years since being drafted in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut with the Yankees in June 2024.
For the season, Rice is batting .279 with 29 homers, 68 RBI and a .971 OPS in 91 games, serving as both a designated hitter and first baseman. This is his first All-Star selection.
Last week, Rice officially announced his Home Run Derby entry on social media, with an accompanying video from about 22 years ago.
It showed a very young Ben Rice, wearing a Yankees jersey, taking big swings against his dad.
Dan Rice was a college pitcher at Brown (his son would attend Dartmouth) and it’s “always been a dream of ours," Ben Rice said, to participate in the Home Run Derby.
In the offseason, Dan Rice still pitches to his son, who learned how to hit breaking stuff by facing his dad’s signature curveball.
During a recent Yankees team flight, Rice watched some of Aaron Judge’s Home Run Derby appearances with the captain, who won it in 2017.
Cody Bellinger has also been a past Home Run Derby participant, and fellow Yankees All-Star teammate Cam Schlittler pledged to be Rice’s go-to guy for Gatorade breaks.
Mostly, “I just want to enjoy it, have fun taking BP with my dad on a big-league field in front of a bunch of people,’’ Rice said recently.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: How is Ben Rice doing at MLB Home Run Derby? See live updates
Continue reading...
The New York Yankees' first-time All-Star is participating in Monday night's MLB Home Run Derby, taking his cuts with some of the league's biggest sluggers at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, home of the Phillies.
Hours before the Derby began, Rice was named the AL's Player of the Week, batting .423 (11-for-26) with five home runs, 12 RBI and a 1.577 OPS, as the Yanks moved into the break on a four-game winning streak.
Here's what to know about Rice as he participates in the Home Run Derby:
How old is Ben Rice?
Rice, who is 27 years old, has been with the Yankees organization for five years since being drafted in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut with the Yankees in June 2024.
Ben Rice stats for 2026
For the season, Rice is batting .279 with 29 homers, 68 RBI and a .971 OPS in 91 games, serving as both a designated hitter and first baseman. This is his first All-Star selection.
Last week, Rice officially announced his Home Run Derby entry on social media, with an accompanying video from about 22 years ago.
It showed a very young Ben Rice, wearing a Yankees jersey, taking big swings against his dad.
Who is pitching to Ben Rice tonight?
Dan Rice was a college pitcher at Brown (his son would attend Dartmouth) and it’s “always been a dream of ours," Ben Rice said, to participate in the Home Run Derby.
In the offseason, Dan Rice still pitches to his son, who learned how to hit breaking stuff by facing his dad’s signature curveball.
Ben Rice inspired by Yankees teammates
During a recent Yankees team flight, Rice watched some of Aaron Judge’s Home Run Derby appearances with the captain, who won it in 2017.
Cody Bellinger has also been a past Home Run Derby participant, and fellow Yankees All-Star teammate Cam Schlittler pledged to be Rice’s go-to guy for Gatorade breaks.
Mostly, “I just want to enjoy it, have fun taking BP with my dad on a big-league field in front of a bunch of people,’’ Rice said recently.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: How is Ben Rice doing at MLB Home Run Derby? See live updates
Continue reading...
