The Yankees knew re-signing Juan Soto was going to be a battle. The money was always going to be staggering, but few expected the New York Mets to swoop in and land him with a deal that rewrites the definition of generational wealth.

Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract that could exceed $800 million if he opts back in after 2029 — a number so massive it feels like Monopoly money. While the Yankees were reportedly involved, they were ultimately outbid by their crosstown rivals.

But as luck (and smart development) would have it, the Yankees might’ve stumbled into a left-handed slugger of their own — and his name is Ben Rice.

Soto Still Doing Soto Things

Let’s be clear: Juan Soto is still one of the best hitters on the planet. Through the early stages of 2025, he’s slashing .265/.410/.408 with one home run, four RBIs, and a 140 wRC+. He’s walking nearly 20% of the time, striking out just 11.5%, and doing the exact things that make him one of the most disciplined and feared hitters in the league.

He’s not hitting for power at quite the same clip he did last year in the Bronx, but it’s early, and no one’s doubting he’ll find his home run swing soon enough.

Ben Rice Explodes Onto the Scene

While Soto settles into his Mets megadeal, 26-year-old Ben Rice is exploding in the Bronx.

Over 13 games, Rice is slashing .310/.431/.690 with four homers, five RBIs, and a 216 wRC+. That’s not a typo — he’s been 116% better than the average MLB hitter to start the year. In fact, he’s been even more productive than Soto by nearly every major offensive metric.

Rice’s isolated power sits at a thunderous .381, and he’s elevated his average exit velocity to 97.9 mph — nearly 8 mph higher than last year. His sixth-inning laser against the Giants on Monday was the hardest-hit ball of his career: a 372-foot missile into the right-field seats at 113.2 mph.

Elite Contact Quality Points to Sustainable Success

Rice’s early success doesn’t feel like a fluke, either. He’s barreling up the ball 31% of the time and owns a ridiculous 72.4% hard-hit rate — both figures ranking near the top of the league.

Statcast has him sitting in the 100th percentile in average exit velocity, barrel rate, and hard-hit percentage. He’s not just getting lucky. He’s hitting the ball hard and doing it often.

This is the same guy who tore up every level of the minors. Now he’s bringing that damage to the Bronx, and if he stays healthy and keeps this up, the Yankees might have a legitimate star — and one they’re paying a tiny fraction of what Soto’s making across town.

Sometimes the best stories are the unexpected ones. While Soto grabs headlines in Queens, Rice is quietly becoming the bat the Yankees didn’t know they’d need — or have.