Ben Rice Media 43

Beasley Digital

4/23/2025

Ben Rice Media 43

Transcript

00:00Obviously you had some exposure here at double A at the end of last year and you had obviously tremendous results.

00:07When you look back at that year, does it kind of feel real?

00:10Obviously, there's a lot more attention on you now than there was probably at the start of a year ago.

00:14How much do you think you grew from the beginning of last year to where you are now as a player and just defensively?

00:20All around, just how much have you grown?

00:22Yeah, I think growth is a good way to put it. I think it was, you know, it was a fun year.

00:26Obviously, he was able to get some good results, but to be able to finally get up to double A and, you know, get some wins up here with Somerset and have a good time doing it was awesome.

00:38It was a really rewarding year.

00:40As far as just having much better results at the plate last year, what did you think really led to you being such a great power hitter and everything else you did?

00:48I think it's all mentality. I think confidence was a big thing.

00:52Just, you know, just kind of developing that as I went along, you know, coming off the IL for, you know, two months stint there and rehabbing down in low A and then coming up to double edge.

01:02It was all just about being confident and just trusting the work that I put in and just showing up here and really just trusting myself.

01:09Spencer was saying you spent all the time with him in Nashville over the offseason, just getting to know him a little bit more personally, I guess.

01:15What do you expect from him this year?

01:17Oh, I mean, I expect big things out of Spence. I mean, he's a special athlete.

01:21Yeah, it was like you said, it was fun spending some time with him in the offseason, getting to know him a little bit better.

01:26We've been able to become pretty good friends over the last couple of seasons, so I'm really excited.

01:32He's always up to do some special things once he steps between the lines, so it's going to be fun to watch.

01:37I know a big part of last year for you was kind of building that defensive versatility. Is there kind of a plan in place for how that looks this year?

01:44You know, I'm not too sure yet, but I mean, I'm going to go wherever they need me.

01:48You know, I mean, playing a little first base, catching, obviously.

01:51If they needed me anywhere else in the field, I'd be up to do it, you know, wherever I can help the team win.

01:56What do you feel in spring training this year as far as your work was concerned?

02:01You were able to improve upon going into this season.

02:04Yeah, I mean, I think just continuing to round myself out as a catcher, I think one of the biggest things is not necessarily like the tangible things like receiving, blocking and throwing.

02:14It's about like being a good game manager and, you know, getting the most out of your pitching staff.

02:18So being able to spend some time at big league camp with guys like Jose Trevino, Wells, being around some big league arms and just kind of picking their brains.

02:26That was really important for me. So I think like just learning how to kind of work with different personalities.

02:32And, you know, be a leader out there when you're behind the plate, I think is the next step for me.

02:37You're going to be catching on Friday or you'll be playing first with this rule.

02:40I won't talk to you about that yet. He hasn't told me yet, but I'm ready for anything.

02:45From a catching standpoint in camp, was there any arm in particular that maybe stood out for you, really popped for you that you got to catch?

02:51I mean, I like my guys Will Warren, Chase Hampton. They were at camp, right?

02:56I mean, that was fun. It was fun to catch them and see them where there's a couple of guys have been around the last couple of seasons.

03:01So it was fun to see them in that kind of setting and kind of show what they can do.

03:06I see a lot of the guys that are returning this year, especially in the bullpen, are kind of veteran guys that have been here.

03:11But a lot of the at least the early season rotation is a lot of newer guys in that rotation.

03:16How important is it the time that you put in camp to get to know those guys, what they like, when they like it, just that time that you spend in camp to get to know those guys?

03:23It's huge. It's huge. I mean, it's just as important as what you do during the game, right?

03:28I mean, you're going to spend more time preparing for the game and preparing for your pitcher's outings than you are actually catching them almost, right?

03:35So it's so important. It's hard to put into words, honestly. But that's everything as a catcher.

03:41You've got to be back there. You've got to know that the pitcher, they trust you to throw down the right pitch.

03:48And you're going to block everything. You're going to do everything you can to help the team win.

03:52How much more comfortable do you feel at this point at first base to where you were last year in picking that up?

03:58Yeah, I would say a lot more comfortable, you know, just being able to work over there a little bit more regularly during spring training and during practice.

04:06That's been huge for me. So just getting more comfortable seeing balls on the ground, pop flies, whatever it is, bag work.

04:13You know, and like I said, you know, whenever they need to throw me over there, I'm going to be ready.

04:17We asked Spencer this as well. How do you feel yourself, you know, coming back here now?

04:22You guys are kind of like veterans. You guys feel like a leader in the clubhouse.

04:25Do you feel you can set the tone, you know, help guys along that haven't been here in Somerset before?

04:30Yeah, to an extent, I'd say so. But at the same time, I think it's just kind of leading by example, if anything, right?

04:36You know, you don't need to be too vocal. Just kind of just go about your business like a Yankee.

04:39And that's all you can do.

04:41How much do you kind of learn that approach while you are in a big league camp and kind of maybe see those guys kind of leading by example around you?