While Aaron Judge strikes fear at the plate, the early season hasn’t seen him consistently crush the ball with the expected force. He’s absent from the top tier of hard-hitters, but a New York Yankees teammate has surged to the top of the list with a remarkable 72% hard-hit rate, surpassing established hitters like Rafael Devers.
The hard-hitters list isn’t solely populated by designated hitters. Earning a spot among MLB‘s most powerful contact makers isn’t position-dependent, as evidenced by Mets first baseman Pete Alonso also featuring in the top five.
While the rankings are likely to evolve, and Judge could very well climb into the top echelon as his hard-hit rate potentially increases, he’s currently thriving by driving in runs and breaking records with his home run prowess.
Latest Top 5 Hard-Hitters
The Judge’s teammate leading the pack is Ben Rice, boasting a 72.0% hard-hit rate. He sits ahead of the Red Sox’s Rafael Devers, who, after a slow start, has shown significant improvement and is beginning to deliver the offensive production expected by Boston.
This list could signal to the Yankees that Ben Rice offers more than just solid infield play; he possesses the potential to contribute offensively at a level comparable to more experienced hitters. Rice recently earned a spot on the 26-man roster to bolster the team.
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Rice Swinging a Secret Weapon?
As of now, there’s no indication that Rice is using any specialized “torpedo bat.” Last season marked his major league debut with the Yankees, where he played 50 games and had 178 plate appearances, hitting .171. In just 43 plate appearances in 2025, he’s already showcasing a significantly improved .306 batting average.
