When the New York Yankees signed veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt last December, the move was less about panic and more about patience. The front office wanted stability while giving Ben Rice — a talented but unproven young slugger — time to grow into his own. What they ended up getting was a glimpse of the future.

By the end of 2025, it was clear Rice didn’t need training wheels anymore. He didn’t just earn his spot — he demanded it.

A Year That Announced His Arrival

Rice’s 2024 season hinted at promise, the kind of flashes that make scouts scribble “potential breakout” in their notebooks. In 2025, that potential turned into production. Rice hit .255/.337/.499 with 26 home runs, 74 runs scored, and 65 RBI across 138 games — good for a 133 wRC+ and 3.0 fWAR.

Those numbers don’t j

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