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By Drew VonScio
Contributing Sports Writer
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After being the primary option at first at the start of last season, New York Yankees infielder Paul Goldschmidt is taking on a new role this season.
The organization agreed to a deal with him on Feb. 6 just a short time before the team's pitchers and catchers reported to spring training. Now, Goldschmidt is taking on the role of being a mentor and helping develop first baseman Ben Rice.
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"Goldschmidt is embracing his new role," Brendan Kuty wrote for The Athletic on Friday. "He remembers when he wasn’t the smoothest first baseman during his minor-league days, and how he began to excel when he started giving it the same type of effort he put into his hitting. ... Goldschmidt said he had valuable infield coaches throughout the minors, but few of them had played first base every day and knew the nuances of the trade like the veterans."
Rice is still adjusting to first base after spending most of his career to this point as a catcher. His offense has never been a question for the Yankees, but his defensive skills are the area where he needs to improve.
Goldschmidt believes Rice has a lot of potential at first base.
“I don’t know much about catching,” Goldschmidt told Kuty, “but at first base, I think he’s got all the physical and mental skills to do it. As he gets more of an opportunity, he’s going to keep getting better.”
Expect Rice to get a lot of reps this spring at first base as the Yankees try to get him as many opportunities as posible.
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