Ben Rice will represent the Yankees in the Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park

Ben Rice is headed to Philadelphia for Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby, giving the New York Yankees a representative in next Monday’s showcase at Citizens Bank Park. Rice’s selection is notable not just because it is his first Derby appearance, but because it spotlights the left-handed power bat the Yankees have relied on while the roster has navigated a season of shifting expectations.

Rice, a first baseman/designated hitter for New York, announced the news through his own social media, according to Yahoo Sports. The timing also matters for the Yankees, who enter the break with the Derby serving as a stage for individual impact as much as team identity. New York has added multiple sluggers through the years, and Rice becomes the latest in that line of hitters asked to translate game power into a concentrated, one-night swing plan.

By the time of his announcement, Rice was credited with 25 home runs, tied for fifth in Major League Baseball. CBS Sports’ early projection placed him among the leaders in the American League home run race around that same moment, using Statcast-driven context to frame Citizens Bank Park as a particularly advantageous location for hitters. MLB’s official release also confirmed the matchup setting, placing the Derby at Citizens Bank Park on July 13.

The power profile behind the selection has been a key part of the Yankees’ offensive story. Yahoo Sports reported that Rice’s 2026 output included a.267/.360/.565 slash line and a 154 wRC+ as he followed up a breakout 2025 campaign. Those are league-wide indicators that he is not merely lifting the ball, but producing at a rate consistent with top-tier run creation, especially valuable for a club that has historically built games around sustaining pressure late.

There is also a personal angle to the Derby pitch-by-pitch plan. Yahoo Sports reported that Rice will have his father, Dan Rice, pitching to him during the event. Dan Rice played baseball at Brown University as a pitcher in the 1980s, which adds an extra layer of comfort for Ben Rice as he tries to convert batting practice habits into timed round production.

This year’s Derby format adds another variable for any hitter, because CBS Sports reported a new swing-based approach with no clock. That kind of wrinkle can reward batters who are quick to find a rhythm and aggressive in their selection of pitches at the plate, rather than those who need extra time to settle into timing.

The immediate Yankee implication is straightforward: the team’s fan base will get a close-up look at its current power hinge during All-Star week, with Rice as the primary storyline tied to New York’s offensive ceiling. Beyond that, Rice’s performance could shape how quickly the market views the Yankees’ next wave of slugging threats, especially if he shows the ability to repeat contact quality under event pressure. For the Derby itself, the watch points are whether he can carry his game-to-game power and whether the father-to-son pitching dynamic proves more than a feel-good detail.

For now, the event field is still taking shape, and there may be late changes as players confirm availability. But one thing is already set: Rice, coming off a season with sustained power production, will be in the mix in a ballpark built for long balls, trying to turn consistent left-handed force into a chance at a title moment for the Yankees organization.