New York Yankees slugger Ben Rice made his Home Run Derby announcement in a personal way, sharing a video on Instagram Tuesday showing his father, Dan, throwing pitches to him during his childhood.
Rice captioned the post with: “Dad and I are heading to the HR Derby! Swipe to see our first practice round.”
The 27-year-old becomes one of the first two confirmed entrants in the Home Run Derby, alongside Tampa Bay Rays standout Junior Caminero. The competition is scheduled for Monday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Rice is chasing a piece of Yankees history. He would become the first New York player to claim the Home Run Derby title since Aaron Judge did it in 2017. Other Yankees to win the event include Tino Martinez in 1997, Jason Giambi in 2002, and Robinson Cano in 2011.
Through this season, Rice has been the Yankees’ most productive hitter, pacing the team with a .267 batting average, 25 home runs, and 57 RBIs.
