Matt Rice

James Matthew Rice (born May 5, 1989) is an American lawyer and former professional baseball player serving as the solicitor general of Tennessee since 2024. He previously played in Minor League Baseball for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Before being appointed as Solicitor General in March 2024, Rice was drafted in the 2011 MLB Draft as the 300th overall pick and later clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Baseball career Rice was born on May 5, 1989, in Johnson City, Tennessee. He attended Science Hill High School in Johnson City, before committing to play division I college baseball for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Rice played for Western Kentucky University from 2007 to 2011, graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering.

College career 2008 season While playing for the Hilltoppers, Rice led the team to the 2008 Sun Belt Conference baseball tournament. As the No. 5 seed, the Hilltoppers made it to the conference championship, beating the New Orleans Privateers 17–5.

As Sun Belt champions, Western Kentucky automatically advanced to the 2008 NCAA Division I baseball tournament. There, Western Kentucky fell to the Oklahoma State Cowboys 5–3.

2009 season Western Kentucky entered the 2009 Sun Belt Conference tournament as the No. 2 seed. However, the Hilltoppers fell in the semifinals to the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks in double-elimination games, 11-3 and 4–2.

Despite falling in the Sun Belt tournament, the Hilltoppers received an at-large bid to the 2009 NCAA Division I baseball tournament. There, Western Kentucky upset the Missouri Tigers 11–5. However, he declined to sign with the Yankees, staying with Western Kentucky for his senior season.

2011 MLB Draft Rice returned for the 2011 MLB Draft, where he was picked in the 9th round as the 300th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays. Rice signed with the Rays on June 9, 2011.

Minor League career From 2011 to 2012, Rice played for the Rays' minor league affiliate, the Hudson Valley Renegades. As a catcher with the Renegades, Rice was named a 2011 Mid-Season All-Star. On April 4, 2012, he was reassigned to the Bowling Green Hot Rods. With the Hot Rods, Rice was named a 2012 Mid-Season All-Star before retiring on March 30, 2013.

Legal career After retiring from professional baseball, Rice enrolled in the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

United States v. Skrmetti As Solicitor General, Rice successfully represented Tennessee before the Supreme Court in United States v. Skrmetti. The lawsuit concerns a Tennessee state law that bans minors from receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy to treat gender dysphoria. Rice persuaded the Supreme Court that the Tennessee law did not violate the Equal Protection Clause.

Federalist Society Rice is a frequent guest speaker and conference host for the Federalist Society. On November 6, 2025, Rice co-hosted the 2025 Federalist Society National Lawyers Convention with Paul Clement, Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, and Scott G. Stewart.