Ben Rice

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that he expects Rice to play "a lot" against left-handed pitchers in 2026, Greg Joyce of the New York Post reports.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone hit on several topics at the MLB Winter Meetings on Monday, including the pursuit of free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, Jasson Dominguez's development, and the plan for Ben Rice.

No surprise here. This certainly changes if Cody Bellinger re-signs with the Yankees this offseason. Rice walloped 26 round-trippers in just 138 games this past season, splitting time between the cold corner, DH and catcher. The 26-year-old figures to draw the occasional start behind the dish, but those opportunities will likely evaporate if he establishes himself as New York's long-term answer at first base. He'll retain catcher eligibility for at least one additional season, which makes him an early-round pick in all fantasy drafts next spring as a top-five range option at the position.