There have been a lot of questions over the last few years whether or not the New York Yankees could grow their own talent through the farm system. Obviously with Aaron Judge, that's been the case. Judge is the best hitter in the game, and he came up with the Yankees, but there have been question marks beyond that.
This season, that's seeming to change, and a large reason why is the emergence of infielder Ben Rice.
Rice, 26, is slashing .254/.355/.545 with nine home runs, a triple, and 10 doubles. His OPS is .900 which puts his OPS+ over 150 on the year. While he's been a massive piece of the offense, he's also emerged as a very versatile player on defense, moving from first base to catcher for the Yankees, which could prove to be vital when Giancarlo Stanton returns from the injured list.
Ben Rice isn't the only proof that the Yankees farm system is working
Rice's emergence in the big leagues shouldn't come as a surprise. The young prospect has all the tools to be successful as well as some of the best offensive minds, like Judge and Paul Goldschmidt, on his side. But Rice isn't the only one who's living proof that the Yankees' farm system is working.
Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez were both grown and developed by the Yankees. They haven't broke out to the same extent that Rice has, but they've both been solid enough to be everyday options for the Yankees.
Will Warren was an eighth round pick by the Yankees a few seasons ago and he's showing some serious promise in the big leagues. The righty isn't an All-Star level pitcher yet, but he's growing and developing as a member of the big league club.
Prospects like Spencer Jones and Everson Pereira are also good options in the minor leagues. Both minor league outfielders have an OPS of over .900 this year. These two will emerge as big league options with the Yankees as early as this season.
They may have a lot of talent added in free agency, but that says more about their spending power than it does their lack of development in the minor leagues. Rice, Volpe, Dominguez, and plenty of others are perfect examples of players who have successfully developed in the Bronx.
