Ben Rice (baseball): Difference between revisions

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==Early life==

 

==Career==

Rice attended [[Noble and Greenough School]] in [[Dedham, Massachusetts]], and [[Dartmouth College]], where he played [[college baseball]] for the [[Dartmouth Big Green baseball|Dartmouth Big Green]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2024/02/yankees-ben-rice-gave-up-hockey-unlike-mom-but-the-new-englander-who-loved-derek-jeter-now-is-a-hotshot-prospect-qa.html|title=Yankees’ Ben Rice gave up hockey (unlike mom), but the New Englander who loved Derek Jeter now is a hotshot prospect &#124; Q&A|first=Randy |last=Miller |date=February 3, 2024|website=nj.com}}</ref> He graduated with a [[Bachelor of Arts degree]] in [[psychology]] from Dartmouth.<ref name="dart">{{cite web |last1=Rublin |first1=Daniel |title=Q&A with Yankees prospect Ben Rice ’22 |url=https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2024/01/ben-rice-q-and-a |website=The Dartmouth |access-date=7 July 2024}}</ref> The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in decreased playing opportunities, but Rice helped organize scrimmages among [[Ivy League]] baseball players in the fall of 2020 to offset this.<ref name="dart"/> In 2021, he played [[collegiate summer baseball]] with the [[Cotuit Kettleers]] of the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1478850&seasonid=32825 |title=Ben Rice |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=September 4, 2023}}</ref> He was drafted by the [[New York Yankees]] in the 12th round of the [[2021 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.patriotledger.com/story/sports/mlb/2021/07/13/new-york-yankees-selected-cohassets-ben-rice/7959043002/|title=From fan to draft pick: Cohasset's Ben Rice selected by New York Yankees|first=Greg|last=Dudek|website=The Patriot Ledger}}</ref>

 

Rice spent his first professional season with the [[Florida Complex League Yankees]] and [[Tampa Tarpons]] and played 2022 with Tampa. He started 2023 with Tampa before being promoted to the [[Hudson Valley Renegades]] and [[Somerset Patriots]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/double-call-makes-early-splash-091204256.html|title=Double-A call-up makes early splash in Yankees crowded catcher picture|date=August 10, 2023|website=Yahoo Sports}}</ref> Rice began the 2024 season with Somerset and was promoted to the [[Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders]] on June 5.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ben-rice-on-promotion-to-triple-a-hot-stretch|title=This Yanks prospect's power surge set to hit The Show|website=MLB.com}}</ref>

 

On June 18, 2024, the Yankees promoted Rice to the major leagues for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Yankees Place Ian Hamilton, Cody Poteet On Injured List|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/yankees-place-ian-hamilton-cody-poteet-on-injured-list.html|access-date=June 18, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}</ref> He made his debut that day against the [[Baltimore Orioles]]. He recorded his first major league hit in the third inning with a single to right field.<ref>https://apnews.com/article/ben-rice-debut-yankees-16ee16c2a7ee23902769824da14a1890</ref> On July 6, in a game against the [[Boston Red Sox]], he became the first rookie in Yankees history to hit three home runs in a single game;<ref name=hr>{{Cite web |title=Rice makes Yanks history with 3-HR game vs. Red Sox |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ben-rice-has-first-career-multihomer-game-for-yankees |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> his seven runs batted in also matched [[Lou Gehrig]]'s record for a Yankee rookie.<ref name=hr/>