Ben Rice Drawing Trade Interest
Ben Rice is on other teams' radars as a potential catcher option in advance of the July 31 trade deadline, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. Teams have called the Yankees inquiring about Rice's ability to handle the position, according to Sherman. Rice has minimal experience as a catcher in the majors (Austin Wells is the Yankees' unquestioned starter behind the plate), but the club drafted him as a backstop out of Dartmouth in 2021. He also played the position in the minors, and Sherman says that Rice still thinks of himself as a catcher. However, there's no indication that the playoff-contending Yankees are considering dealing Rice for anything other than a substantial offer. The 26-year-old has been one of New York's top hitters this season, having slashed .232/.323/.468 with 15 home runs in 320 plate appearances. Those are solid numbers, yet Rice may be capable of more. The left-handed hitter ranks among the league's elite in such categories as xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, and average exit velocity, making him a good candidate for positive regression.
Source: Joel Sherman
New York Yankees first baseman/designated hitter Source: Joel Sherman

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