New York Yankees Jon Heyman Yankees’ surprise Massachusetts superstar duo from Game 1 was unearthed by same scout By Jon Heyman Published Sep. 30, 2026, 1:34 a.m. ET Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice #22 hits a grand slam in the eighth inning. Robert Sabo The Yankee Stadium crowd was chanting “M-V-P” on an electric night in The Bronx.
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Matt Hyde, Yankees scout extraordinaire, who signed both Game 1 standouts/Yankee surprise superstars — Cam Schlittler, the target of the chants, and Ben Rice — was cheering at home in Canton, Mass., too.
“The two Massachusetts boys showed up,” crowed Hyde, the New England area Yankees scout whose tandem of late-round draft signees may never be duplicated.
Schlittler came to the Yankees in Round 7, Rice in Round 12. They are undeniably two superstars of the game now.
