Aaron Boone offers crucial update on Ben Rice & Jasson Dominguez for Yankees' Opening Day roster

Modified Mar 26, 2025 05:33 GMT

MLB: New York Yankees-Workouts - Source: Imagn — Aaron Boone offers crucial update on Ben Rice & Jasson Dominguez for Yankees' Opening Day roster (Image Source: IMAGN)

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has confirmed that infielder Ben Rice and outfielder Jasson Dominguez will be included on the Opening Day roster. Both players could even be included in the lineup for their opening game of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday.

Ben Rice is a 12th-round pick for the New York Yankees in the 2021 MLB Draft and had moved up to Triple-A with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRaiders at the start of last season. The 25-year-old was called up for his major league debut after the Yankees lost first baseman Anthony Rizzo to an elbow injury last year.

Meanwhile, Jasson Dominguez is the top-rated prospect in the New York Yankees organization. The 22-year-old had made his MLB debut in 2023, but persistent injuries have limited him to just 26 appearances for the Yankees over the past couple of seasons.

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"Jasson Dominguez and Ben Rice have both been informed that they've made the Yankees, per Aaron Boone," Fireside Yankees reported on X.

Rice played 50 games for the Yankees last year and batted .171/.264/.349 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs. Dominguez made 18 appearances in 2024 and posted a 179/.313/.304 slash line and produced two home runs and four RBIs.

Aaron Boone's playful dig at Juan Soto ahead of Yankees vs Mets

Juan Soto played under Aaron Boone with the Yankees in 2024 (Image Source: IMAGN)

Aaron Boone could not help but take a playful dig at his former player, Juan Soto, when the New York Yankees faced the New York Mets in a Grapefruit League game at Clover Field in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on Monday.

"I told him he looks terrible in that uniform," Boone joked with reporters before the game.

"Good to see him," he added on a more serious note. "I mean, obviously, Juan was great for us, but just as important, he was a great guy in our locker room, great guy in our clubhouse. So honestly it was actually really good to see him and just catch up with him, but yeah, I thought he looked terrible in Mets colors."

Juan Soto was traded to the New York Yankees by the San Diego Padres for his final season before reaching free agency. He had an outstanding solo campaign for the team with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs in the regular season before driving the team to the World Series. However, Soto chose to sign for the New York Mets on a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract during this offseason.

About the author

Paranjoy Goswami (Bobo) is a baseball reporter at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience writing with publications such as Eagle Bet, India Bet and Paradine.

He has provided full coverage, match previews and betting tips on major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, English Premier League, German Bundesliga, ICC World Cup, Indian Premier League and several others.

Bobo grew up supporting the Red Sox but has also been on the Phillies bandwagon for the past couple of years. He also roots for the St. Louis Cardinals and Seattle Mariners.

While he hasn't played much baseball, Bobo's fascination with the sport started with an 8-bit Nintendo game, where he picked up the basic rules. He started watching live MLB matches on TV about 20 years ago and his love for baseball just grew by leaps and bounds from then on.

Bobo's favorite player was probably Tim Wakefield as not only was he the best knuckleball pitcher of his time, but he was also a Red Sox legend, an outstanding team player and a great human being. Among the current generation, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Max Scherzer and Bryce Harper get the nod.

Bobo's favorite moment in baseball history was when the Red Sox beat the Yankees before breaking their World Series curse in 2004. That said, Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier was the most important.

Outside of baseball, Bobo's interests include literature, comics, world history, science fiction, satire, classic movies, PC games, pets, playing sports, cycling, traveling, sightseeing and quiet reflection.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra