Who is Ben Rice? Looking at Yankees’ first baseman replacement for Anthony Rizzo

The New York Yankees will be without Anthony Rizzo for up to six weeks, and they're calling up Ben Rice in his absence. Rizzo is the only natural first baseman on the roster, while Rice is one of the strongest prospects they have at the position.

Ben Rice has been with the Yankees since the 2021 MLB Draft. He has slowly progressed through the minor leagues, and he's been at AA and AAA this season. Now, he's making the leap to the big leagues after a massive injury.

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All About Ben Rice: Yankees' new first Baseman

This season, across two levels, Ben Rice is hitting .275 with a .925 OPS. That is right around his career mark in the minors, which is .920. He has hit 15 home runs this season and has 47 bombs in his career.

He is 25 years old, so he will be one of the youngest players on New York's roster. The Yankees are full of veterans, but Rice will bring youth to the table. He will also bring depth and first-base defense, something the Yankees don't have a lot of right now.

Rice said he's happy with the improvements he has made this season and how he's adapted to playing first base. It's not the easiest position to learn, and he's taken it all in stride.

Ben Rice has been promoted to the Yankees

Rice has been playing very well since moving up to AAA. He's been there for 11 games and is hitting to the tune of a .333/.440/.619 slash line. The red-hot play has driven him right to the major leagues.

Rice is primarily a catcher, but plenty of catchers also play first base. The Yankees have both Jose Trevino and Austin Wells behind the plate, so any reps Rice receives will likely be at first base.

However, it's unlikely that Rice plays every day. For the time being, it is more likely that DJ LeMahieu will slide over from third base to first base. In his absence, Oswaldo Cabrera will return to third base.

That will be the most common lineup they use, but Rice will mix in and Cabrera might play some first base as well. Rice, a left-handed batter, is expected to see playing time against right-handed starters.