Ben Rice's Rise Mirroring that of Hall of Fame Teammate's Ascent

When the New York Yankees lost Juan Soto, it was hard to imagine where they would replace his offense. They made the move for Cody Bellinger last year, and then re-signed him this offseason, but as far as a pure blow-for-blow offensive comparison, it was one of their own who seems to have taken Soto's mantle as Aaron Judge's Robin. Ben Rice is becoming a star in this league.

Of course, if one were to make comparisons, it isn't Soto, a former teammate and future Hall of Famer. It probably isn't Judge either. He's one of one.

Rice is definitely like one of his teammates, though, and the best comp is Paul Goldschmidt. Their first two full seasons in the big leagues are almost a mirror of one another. Goldschmidt gave his first indication of being one of the best first basemen in the league back in 2012, after a solid 2011. He hit .286/.359/.490 with a 124 wRC+ and 20 homers, which isn't so far removed from what Rice did last year.

New York Yankees first base Ben Rice (22) celebrates with Paul Goldschmidt (48) after scoring a run against the San Francisco Giants during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. | Tom Horak-Imagn Images

In 2025, Rice's breakout season, he hit .255/.337/.499 with a 133 wRC+ and 26 homers. 2025 was just a preview of Rice's talents, and it looks like he has found himself becoming one of the best power hitters in the game. That was also the case for Goldschmidt's second full season in the big leagues back in 2013.

That season, Goldschmidt hit .302/.401/.551 with a 156 wRC+ and 36 home runs. There's no reason Rice's numbers this year can't mirror or eclipse them. Rice is hitting .304/.397/649 with a 186 wRC+ and 17 home runs. Those slashlines are nearly identical, except Rice, so far, has the power advantage as far as slugging goes.

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (44) hits an RBI single during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

High praise for Rice

When asked about Rice, Goldschmidt gave his teammate a glowing review.

"Those traits are more than just the stats," Goldschmidt said, according to Newsday's Dave Lennon. "It's his work ethic and how focused he is. He's a very, very smart player. He's got the ability to make adjustments and continue to improve because when you have success, you know the other teams are always going to be looking for your weaknesses. If you don't adapt, you're going to be in a hole... So I think when you see those characteristics that he has, it at least provides the opportunity for a lot of long-term success."

Barring injury, the sky is the limit for Rice. This isn't to say he'll be a Hall of Famer the way Soto, Judge, and Goldschmidt will be. It is fair to think his peak has a shot to be in the conversation with them.

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