It’s no secret, at least to Major League Baseball personnel, that there’s a serious lack of catching prospects in the minors. That’s what makes a guy like Ian Rice so valuable to the Chicago Cubs. It’s why the team gave up so much in a trade for Victor Caratini in 2015 when he was still in Low-A baseball and the guy wasn’t even drafted as a catcher. He was a position player when the Atlanta Braves drafted him in the second round of the 2013 MLB Draft our of Miami-Dade College. Rice didn’t come in with that pedigree, the Tennessee Smokies catcher was a 29th rounder out of Houston, but he might turn out to be just as valuable.
“This is the first time I’ve seen him (Rice) catch or play or anything,” Tennessee Smokies manager Mark Johnson said. “I saw him in spring training maybe two games. What I’ve seen is that he’s extremely dedicated to the game of baseball. He works so hard, almost to a fault. He gives it his all.”
contreras is really starting to hit and i really like caratini think he is going to really be good and we have ian rice c coming very good
— Terry Southers (@pharaohtrunner) July 7, 2017
After Tuesday’s game against the Montgomery Biscuits (an 8-4 Smokies win in a matinee), Rice is batting .244 with nine doubles, one triple, 11 home runs and 38 RBIs. He’s the No. 1 catcher in the Tennessee rotation in his first season of Double-A ball. According to Rice, this was all part of the plan.
“It was my goal coming into spring training,” Rice said. “I wanted to break camp with Tennessee. I worked my butt off in the off-season and spring training. I made a lot of adjustments and progress, on defense especially.”
While Rice hasn’t slumped, his average did take a hit before the Southern League All-Star break. Rice is pulling it back up and his batting .265 in his last 10 games. His 11 homers are tied for sixth place in the entire Southern League. He was a mid-season All-Star.
“He (Rice) has got some thump in his bat,” Johnson said. “He DHed the majority of last year, so there’s a learning curve, especially at this level. Calling a game, pitch selection, getting a pitcher through his start, getting the bullpen through the latter half of the game, blocking, receiving, he’s starting to settle in. You’re seeing improvements.”
2017 Smokies All-Star Squad. @MiLB @Cubs pic.twitter.com/ty3MfEWJt9
— James Pugliese (@Pugs51) June 19, 2017
Rice is grateful for the shot. After two seasons at Chipola Junior College, Rice was drafted in the 21st round of the 2014 draft by the Boston Red Sox. He decided to go onto Houston and try to raise his stock, but a disappointing season with the Cougars saw him drop eight rounds. When the Cubs called, he didn’t turn down his second shot with a contender.
“It (his year at Houston) was disappointing,” Rice said. “I knew that I could do better than that. I knew I could do better. You take your failures with a grain of salt. You can’t let it get you down too much, especially with baseball. You learn what you did wrong and try to fix it.”
The misfortune worked out in Rice’s and the Cubs’ favor, as he’s quickly shot through the minor league ranks and put his poor college experience in his rearview mirror.
Rice sprinted through Low-A and High-A ball last season, claiming a Carolina League title as he hit .31 with eight doubles, nine home runs and 27 RBIs in 39 games with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. It might have looked like a longshot for a player with Rice’s short minor league experience to open up his second full season in Double-A, but that’s exactly what he did, getting tabbed for the Smokies opening day roster.
“I want my future to be in the major leagues, whether that’s at catcher or first base or left field, I don’t care,” Rice said. “That’s my goal. I enjoy catching, but at the end of the day wherever the Cubs need me the most, I’ll be happy to fit there.”
Ian Rice just hit a three-run tater over the scoreboard for the Smokies. Cameras could not catch it. #Cubs
— Luke Slabaugh (@LukeSlabaugh) July 3, 2017
With his talent behind the plate, Rice’s value just continues to improve.
“There’s no catchers out there,” Johnson, a former Major League catcher himself, said. “You talk to scouts all the time, there’s no catching. We’ve done that as an organization, found athletic guys or guys that fit the bill and give them a shot. We see what we can do and it’s turned out pretty well. We’ve converted a lot of guys.”
Rice has caught 232.1 innings for the Smokies this season with a .995 fielding percentage, one error and he’s caught five mean stealing. He has surrended 22 stolen bases and that’s something, along with improving his offense, Rice needs to work on in the second half of the Smokies’ season.
“Offensively and defensively, I’m still not a finished product,” Rice said. “I have to work on getting better every day. I don’t feel there’s a ceiling. You can always get better. I’m trying to improve my throwing, my blocking, calling a game. Offensively it’s my approach. I’m trying to drive more balls to right field. I’ve always been able to drive the ball out of the park, but the pitching in Double-A is so much better. Guys can use every bit of the plate. It’s a matter of refining your swing and your approach. You can’t cover the whole plate, but I enjoy the challenge.”
B2: Ian Rice with a two-run homer!! Smokies trail the Lookouts 3-2! pic.twitter.com/gcqBT8RWaa
— Smokies on Radio (@SmokiesOnRadio) June 17, 2017
Rice tries not to get caught up in thinking about his future. As a catcher, it’s likely bright. But focusing too much and what he might do, as opposed to what’s in front of him caused him some problems before.
“Last season I got into trouble with that, mentally more than anything else,” Rice said. “I was constantly checking my MLB app and looking to see how everybody’s doing and trying to play GM. This year, I deleted it. I don’t look at anything. I’m focused on getting better every day. I appreciate that they gave me shot. I want to prove them right.”
2 run home run by Ian Rice and @smokiesbaseball are on the board in the 2nd. 2-0 Smokies
— Birmingham Barons (@BhamBarons) May 21, 2017
For Rice, like Caratini who was in this same spot last season in Tennessee, that shot may come sooner rather than later. As it is, he’s enjoying his time with the Smokies and hopes to kick off a second-half run to the postseason.
“Playing with the Cubs, it’s incredible,” Rice said. “The staff, from coaches to coordinators and players. It’s a lot of fun to be around. We have really good chemistry. Our pitchers, especially, come in every day, they throw strikes and pounds the zone. Everybody that comes into the game competes and it’s fun to catch for them.”
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