Yankees Prospects Sweep Eastern League Awards

Two New York Yankees prospects swept the Player of the Week and the Pitcher of the Week Awards in the Eastern League on Monday.

Ben Rice won the Player of the Week award and Drew Thorpe won the Pitcher of the Week award, respectively, for Double-A Somerset.

The award was given for action from Aug. 7-13.

Rice, a catcher and first baseman, is the Yankees’ No. 23 prospect. Thorpe, a right-handed pitcher, is the Yankees’ No. 5 prospect.

Rice, who was promoted to Somerset on July 18, went 12-for-23 (.521) last week with two home runs, nine RBI and seven runs in six games. He split time at catcher, first base and designated hitter.

Since joining Somerset, Rice has slashed .342/.422/.696 with 16 runs, five doubles, seven home runs and 25 RBI in 20 games.

Rice was selected in the 12th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Yankees.

Thorpe made his Double-A debut on Friday and gave up just two hits and struck out nine in eight shutout innings to earn the win. At one point he retired 20 straight hitters. It’s the third time this season Thorpe has pitched at least eight scoreless innings, the only minor league pitcher to achieve that this season.

Thorpe leads all Yankees minor leaguers in ERA (2.62), wins (11), strikeouts (138) and WHIP (1.02). Thorpe was the Yankees’ second-round pick in 2022. Earlier this season he was named the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week twice and the SAL Pitcher of the Month in June.

They become the fourth and fifth Patriots to be honored by MiLB as a Player/Pitcher of the Week, joining Tyler Hardman (twice) and pitcher Clayton Beeter.