Story by
Person who doesn’t play for Yankees gets ‘MVP’ admission
- Story by
- Person who doesn’t play for Yankees gets ‘MVP’ admission
Person who doesn't play for Yankees gets 'MVP' admission appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The New York Yankees have plenty of talented players on their roster, including the back-to-back MVP Aaron Judge . However, someone off the diamond has made a tremendous impact on the franchise as well.
Advertisement
Cam Schlitter and Ben Rice are making major impacts in the rotation and lineup respectively. The Yankees have New England scout Matt Hyde to thank for both. His services have certainly caught the eye of the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
"I think Matt Hyde is their secret weapon. He might be their MVP," Heyman said. "We're talking about a seventh rounder and a 12th rounder. We're talking about two players not from baseball hot beds. Those two are enough to say that Matt Hyde is the Yankee MVP."
Schlittler was originally a seventh round pick out of Northeastern. During the 2026 season, he has posted a 1.77 ERA and a 41/4 K/BB ratio over his first six starts. The Yankees will soon see pitchers like Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon join the rotation. If Schlittler stays consistent throughout the whole season, New York will be a difficult opponent through any playoff series.
Advertisement
Rice was a 12th round pick out of Dartmouth. Through his first 27 games in 2026, he is hitting .326 with nine home runs and 21 RBIs. He leads the team in batting average and RBIs, sitting just behind Judge in home runs. Rice is poised to be a staple in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
The Yankees are known for their expensive free agency moves. However, filling your minor league with talent allows for the big spending. In the case of Schlittler and Rice, Hyde threw a perfect strike/knocked it out of the park, respectively.
Related: How Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr started to feel like himself again
Related: Yankees' Paul DeJong gives contract ultimatum over promotion
