Yankees' Ben Rice Enters 2026 MLB Home Run Derby, Updated Field For All-Star Showcase

Having kept the New York Yankees' offense afloat amid Aaron Judge's absence, Ben Rice is going to put his prodigious power on display in the 2026 Home Run Derby.

Rice announced his participation on Tuesday with a video on Instagram showing his father pitching to him when he was a kid, along with the caption: "Dad and I are heading to the HR Derby! Swipe to see our first practice round."

Rice is the second confirmed participant in the event, joining Tamp Bay Rays star Junior Caminero.

Rice had a breakout season at the plate in 2025, hitting .255/.337/.499 with 26 homers in 138 games.

This season has seen Rice level up once again. The 27-year-old has nearly matched his career-high already with 25 homers 85 games. He has a .267/.360/.565 slash line in 364 at-bats.

Rice has the seventh-best home run-to-fly ball ratio in MLB at 36.2 percent. The only AL player ahead of him is Caminero (43.3 percent).

The Yankeees have needed Rice's production while they have been without Judge since May 31 due to a stress fracture in his rib. Giancarlo Stanton has also missed significant time due to a calf strain suffered on April 24.

Despite missing two of their best power hitters, the Yankees still rank a respectable ninth in MLB in runs scored entering play on Tuesday. They have hit a bit of a wall recently with 13 losses in their last 18 games, but they are still five games ahead of anyone else for the No. 1 wild card spot in the AL.

A 12th-round draft pick by the Yankees in 2021, Rice has been a tremendous developmental success story. Him becoming a big leaguer would have been good enough at that spot, so turning into an All-Star is remarkable.

This will be the second consecutive year the Yankees have a representative in the Home Run Derby. Jazz Chisholm Jr. was in the 2025 event at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Rice will look to become the first Yankees player to win the Derby since Judge in 2017.

The 2026 Home Run Derby will be held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on July 13.