Love your content and appreciate all you do. I like Rice (I saw him play at HV) and hope he progresses. You really didn’t discuss his glaring weakness, he hasn’t hit lefties. Unless he addresses that, he won’t be the answer at first base (Yankees aren’t really a platoon team). Also important to note he isn’t currently on the 40 man roster. This isn’t an insurmountable hurdle, but it is definitely a consideration the Yankees make in promoting players. Again, love your content, but ask you to also spend time identifying weaknesses in prospects so we have a fair understanding of what they need to do. Best
Most Yankee fans are fans of the MLB squad, and will not be aware of prospects who haven't been getting hype. First rounders they will know, but guys found later in the draft won't be that known until they start getting more hype. The fans who know guys like Rice are ones who live near a yankees minor league park or are just people like me that obsess over baseball and have since they were a kid. Also, a lot of fans are willfully blind. They want to be aggrieved so they pretend Cashman has destroyed our system. And if they pretend he's destroyed it, they can't then talk about the myriad of prospects he as acquired who are looking REALLY good. Therefore, they "don't know" who Ben Rice is.
If Jones and Rice both develop and Stanton continues on his current path (and he’s only getting older) he really clogs up the moves this team can make. The Yanks aren’t resigning Verdugo but if they resign Soto that’s Soto Judge and Dominguez in the outfield and even though Jones is a plus defender he doesn’t have a spot unless he’s moved to 1st which is a waste of his defensive ability which then blocks Rice. If Stanton doesn’t have a bounce back season and I don’t think he will, they need to eat that mistake and bounce Stanton
If that's the case, have himhas start the season in AAA if he's raking, and backs it with power and consistent contact. If he has trouble at AAA, he can always go back to AA to find his swing then take the step up. He'll need most of the season in the minors, because even with his skills he has to maintan consistent contact to prove he's ready for a call up. I proposed getting Spencer Jones some coaching and repa at first base, because the Yankees outfield is overcrowded with 6 outfielders, and they don't need but 4. Getting Verdugo was good for his offense, but there a logjam out there with Grisham and Periera still here. Where does that leave Spencer Jones when he gets the call up? Honestly, this is the poor roster and bench depth planning that Cashman continually repeats. He has to make room for Jones and Rice, and it should be Jones first because he's at the higher level. If he can learn to handle first base to spell Rizzo, you're getting his big lefty bat into that Yanks lineup. His main position will be the outfield, but rather than sitting him for too long, you need to get his bat into the lineup, and occssional DH. Rice will get here eventually, but get Jones up here first and Rice maybe early August. And both of them could get first base starts, they''re talented guys. It's very possible the Yankees may trade Rizzo if his performance deteriorates further, at the Break. For a quality starting pitcher as part of the trade pkg. It's why I think Jones backing up Rice when he doesn't play outfield could be a big benefit to the Yankees.
If the goal is having Rice as starting first baseman for 2025, he absolutely needs to be promoted at some point this season. I want him to have a good amount of time learning from watching Rizzo play the position. It was different with Volpe, there was nobody on the team in 2022 that he needed to learn from. Rizzo as a mentor is too good to not take advantage of. Honestly, if he performs offensively and is healthy this year, I would kind of want to bring him back. But that's probably not realistic.
IF, and this is EXACTLY what none of us want, Rizzo is still hurt or gets hurt this season then we will get a look at Ben Rice. It’s not how we want to see this go down but, everyone remember Wally Pipp?
Alex Wilson and Ryan Garcia Ben Rice will definitely be the Yankees first baseman next year right after Anthony Rizzo leaves!Yankees should definitely avoid signing Cody Bellinger he is going to regress according to Alex! 6:09
@jeterman29ny No way! Yankees won’t sign Matt Chapman and Cody Bellinger!Cody Bellinger is going regress according to Alex Wilson and Matt Chapman is next Josh Donaldson! Ben Rice is going to be the next Yankees first baseman next year! 8:51
@@brandonmoore7497 and how do you or him know that? Do you have a crystal ball? Bellinger was an mvp and top 5 hitter in baseball earlier in his career. And he's still only 28. There's no reasonable way of thinking that he will just fall off again.
