Will Benson was 19 years previous and enjoying within the Midwest League when he led Sunday Notes on Could 13, 2018. Two years faraway from being drafted 14th total by Cleveland out of Atlanta’s Westminster Excessive College, he was each promising and uncooked. His batting common was hovering across the Mendoza line, however his OBP was a wholesome .376, and his seven house runs have been tied for tops within the circuit.
In some ways, he’s a lot the identical participant now. Acquired by the Cincinnati Reds from the Guardians this previous February, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound outfielder had a powerful 2022 marketing campaign with Triple-A Columbus — 17 bombs and a .948 OPS — however he’s in any other case been a work-in-progress since getting into professional ball. His profession slash line within the minors is .221/.353/.441, and over 122 big-league plate appearances — he debuted final August — that line is a paltry .187/.256/.243. Contact has been a problem. In back-to-back seasons on the farm, Benson fanned 152 and 151 occasions. His Okay-rate within the majors is 32.2%.
However the potential continues to be there, as evidenced by a pair of performances over the previous two weeks. On Could 30, Benson had three hits, together with a triple, in Cincinnati’s 9-8 win over the Pink Sox at Fenway Park. Simply 4 days in the past, he walked off the Los Angeles Dodgers together with his first big-league house run. Furthermore, his athleticism stays elite.
I requested Benson in regards to the highway he’s traveled since our 2018 dialog following his three-hit recreation in Boston.
“It’s been rocky, however with loads of development,” Benson advised me. “There have been good occasions, there have been dangerous occasions, and thru all of it there was a lot development and alter for me as a younger man. I used to be 19 then, and now I’m 24 with a household; I’ve a child boy that was born in March. There was development inside the recreation, as nicely.”
Like all prospects, Benson had his growth path hindered by the pandemic. With the minor-league season cancelled, he needed to accept a brief stint within the impartial Constellation Vitality League, an expertise that turned out to be something however rosy. He had simply eight hits in 56 at-bats, and fanned 27 occasions.
“When it comes to enjoying and persevering with with that move, the entire rhythm of issues, it was undoubtedly robust,” Benson mentioned of the 2020 summer season. “However I did get to play in Sugar Land, and that was dope. It sort of opened my eyes to ‘I’ve received work to do.’ I felt sort of unhappy to enter that league and never do very nicely. However I labored, and I continued to study.”
A mixed-bag season adopted — 17 homers and 146 strikeouts — however then got here a career-best 2022. In 401 Triple-A plate appearances, the teenager matched his 2021 house run whole whereas fanning simply 91 occasions. Furthermore, his slash line was a stand-up-and-take-notice .279/.426/.522, and he stole 16 bases in 20 makes an attempt. Amongst these taking discover have been the Cincinnati Reds.
“That they had been following me ever since I received drafted, and I suppose they preferred the progress I’ve been making,” Benson mentioned of the commerce. “After I performed towards them in Triple-A final 12 months, I tore them up fairly good. I feel it was a mix of that, and them liking my potential on the diamond. I perceive that possibly I received’t be a man who hits .300, however I generally is a man who will get on base near 40% of the time, steal bases, and hit the ball exhausting. I can influence the sport.”
———
RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Curtis Delight went 7 for 11 towards Kevin Tapani.
Mookie Betts went 7 for 11 aa towards Danny Duffy.
Steve Bowling went 3 for 7 towards Glenn Abbott.
Mark Carreon went 10 for 18 towards John Burkett.
Glenn Burke went 4 for six towards Steve Carlton.
Johnny Giavotella went 5 for 7 towards Anthony Bass.
———
Corey Rosier want to play in Boston this season. Whether or not that occurs stays to be seen, however one factor is for certain: He’ll add athleticism and a discerning eye to the Pink Sox roster if and when he arrives. Acquired from San Diego final summer season as a part of the Eric Hosmer deal, the 23-year-old, left-handed-hitting outfielder has been described by our lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen as “a 70 runner with a good suggestion of the strike zone.” His numbers this season have been promising. In 155 plate appearances with the Double-A Portland Sea Canines, Rosier has a .305/.364/.433 slash line, a 122 wRC+, and he’s swiped 24 bases in 27 makes an attempt.
He credit offseason velocity coaching at Tampa’s Home of Athlete for enhancing what have been already spectacular wheels.
“This system I’m going by means of has helped make my first step even higher, and to get to my high velocity faster,” defined Rosier, who ran a 6.4 60 on the College of North Carolina at Greensboro. “Yo Murphy is who put it collectively. His main sport is soccer — he performed within the NFL for a bit bit — however they’ve branched out to different sports activities and do a very good baseball program.”
Rosier wasn’t massive into soccer rising up. Relatively, he was “a baseball/basketball man” who was primarily a taking pictures guard on the hardwood. Protection was considered one of his robust fits. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Waldorf, Maryland native would usually guard the opposite group’s greatest participant.
His potential to deal with high-level pitching will go a good distance towards figuring out his future on the diamond, and he took a giant step in that path this previous winter. Rosier was launched to a hitting coach named Oswaldo “Ovy” Rodriguez Diaz, who helped him clear up his bat path and strengthen his high hand. The latter a part of that equation was paramount.
“Being a right-handed thrower and a left-handed hitter, my backside hand is of course extra dominant,” Rosier defined. “What was taking place is that my swing was getting out and in of the zone — not having a powerful high hand was sort of making me get snap-hooky — versus conserving the trail by means of to centerfield. I actually centered on strengthening that, and it’s undoubtedly helped.”
The chance that he might doubtlessly assist the Pink Sox as quickly as this season got here up after I requested the assured teenager if he had any closing ideas earlier than making ready that night time’s recreation.
“You haven’t requested me after I’ll be a big-leaguer,’ responded Rosier, who subsequent to Triple-A infielder David Hamilton ranks because the quickest participant within the Pink Sox system. “I feel that could possibly be by the tip of this 12 months. With the best way I run the bases and play protection, if the Sox make a playoff push, I could possibly be a man who comes up and helps them win by doing the identical issues I’m doing right here. It’s coming so much earlier than folks know.”
———
A quiz:
Ty Cobb has probably the most singles, doubles, and triples in Detroit Tigers historical past. Who’s the franchise chief for house runs?
The reply may be discovered beneath.
———
NEWS NOTES
Bobby Bolin, who pitched for 3 groups — the San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, and Boston Pink Sox — from 1961-1973, died earlier this month at age 84. The proper-hander from Hickory Grove, South Carolina appeared in 495 video games and went 88-75 with 51 saves and a 3.40 ERA.
Jack Baldschun, who pitched for the three groups — the Philadelphia Phillies, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres — from 1961-1970, died earlier this week at age 83. The Greenville, Ohio and Miami College product had a three-year-stretch with the Phillies the place he logged 29 reduction wins, 50 saves, and a 2.79 ERA.
——-
The reply to the quiz is Al Kaline, with 399 house runs. Norm Money is second, with 373. Miguel Cabrera is third, with 369.
———
The Milwaukee Brewers made a shrewd transfer once they acquired Owen Miller from the Cleveland Guardians final December in alternate for money (because of The Athletic’s Zack Meisel for confirming that it was a money transaction with no PTBNL concerned). In 174 plate appearances together with his new group, the 26-year-old infielder is slashing .313/.351/.448 with 4 house runs and a 120 wRC+. Furthermore, he’s added versatility to the lineup by enjoying 5 defensive positions. Featured right here at FanGraphs as a part of my “Talks Hitting” collection final December, the Mequon native is the twelfth Wisconsin-born participant in Brewers historical past.
On a associated notice, the present iteration of the Milwaukee Brewers was established in April 1970 when the Seattle Pilots relocated to Wisconsin’s largest metropolis on quick discover, this after the Pilots went into out of business every week earlier than Opening Day. The moniker preceded the transfer on the major-league stage. In 1884, the Milwaukee Brewers performed within the Union Affiliation, an American Affiliation group glided by that identify in 1891, and when the American League was established in 1901, the Brewers have been an inaugural member. The final of these franchises is now in Maryland, the Brewers having turn out to be the St. Louis Browns in 1902, and subsequently the Baltimore Orioles in 1954.
———-
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Gosuke Katoh hit safely in his first 10 video games with NPB’s Nippon-Ham Fighters and is 19-for-51 with 4 house runs by means of his first 13. The 28-year-old Mountain View, California native performed in eight video games for the Toronto Blue Jays final season.
Liván Moinelo is 2-0 with three saves and a 0.87 ERA with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. The 27-year-old Cuban-born southpaw has 28 strikeouts and 9 hits allowed in 20-and-two-thirds innings. One 12 months in the past, he had a 1.03 ERA, 24 saves, and 87 strikeouts in 52-and-two-thirds innings.
Seunghwan Oh recorded his five hundredth skilled save when the KBO’s Samsung Lions beat the NC Dinos 9-6 earlier this week. The 40-year-old right-hander has since added yet another and now has 379 saves within the KBO, 80 in NPB, and 42 in MLB. All however three of his stateside saves got here with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016-2017.
Hye Seong Kim is slashing .313/.379/.427 with 13 doubles and three house runs for the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes. The 24-year-old second baseman has 14 steals in as many makes an attempt.
Peter O’Brien is slashing .393/.454/.793 with a circuit-best 13 house runs for the Mexican League’s Pericos de Puebla. The 32-year-old outfielder performed for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2015-2016 and the Miami Marlins in 2018-2019.
Fernando Rodney is 2-1 with 5 saves and a 7.56 ERA over 17 Mexican League reduction appearances. The 46-year-old veteran of 17 MLB seasons has seen motion with each Leones de Yucatan and Diablos Rojos del Mexico.
———
Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand have been minor-league teammates within the Minnesota Twins system earlier than being traded to the Cincinnati Reds final August in alternate for Tyler Mahle. Steer — featured in my “Talks Hitting” collection earlier this month — is having fun with a stellar rookie season, whereas Encarnacion-Strand, a 2021 fourth-round draft pick of Oklahoma State College, is knocking loudly on the big-league door. In line with Steer, the erstwhile Cowboy doesn’t lack for confidence.
“It was Strand’s first spring coaching,” recalled Steer. “A few of us have been speaking within the dugout earlier than an inter-squad recreation, and he mentioned that he wished to hit .300 with 30 house runs that 12 months. We have been like, ‘What?” Like, nobody does that. One in every of us mentioned, “That’s your expectation?” He mentioned, “Yeah.” Certain sufficient, he goes forward and hits 30, and hits over .300.”
Encarnacion-Strand’s precise totals in 2022 — this throughout 330 plate appearances in Excessive-A and 208 in Double-A — have been 32 house runs and a .304 batting common. Based mostly on what he’s doing this 12 months, these numbers weren’t a fluke. Over 194 plate appearances with Triple-A Louisville, he’s slashing a lusty .356/.418/.718 with 16 house runs and a 176 wRC+.
“He’s fairly assured,” mentioned Steer. “He’s additionally fairly good.”
———
FARM NOTES
DJ Peters is getting a possibility on the mound. The 27-year-old former Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers outfielder pitched two scoreless innings for the Detroit Tigers Florida Advanced League entry earlier this week.
Noah Mendlinger is slashing .306/.427/.471 with 4 house runs in 151 plate appearances between Excessive-A Peoria and Double-A Springfield. The 22-year-old infielder was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals out of Georgia School & State College in 2021.
Aaron Schunk is slashing .341/.385/.625 with 10 house runs in 192 plate appearances for the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. Drafted by the Colorado Rockies out of the College of Georgia in 2019, the 25-year-old infielder was first featured right here at FanGraphs in June 2020.
Emmet Sheehan is 4-1 with a 1.86 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 53-and-a-third innings for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. Presently No. 17 our Los Angeles Dodgers High Prospect listing, the 23-year-old right-hander was featured right here at FanGraphs final August.
Al Alburquerque is 1-0 with three saves and a 1.29 ERA over 19 reduction outings for the impartial Atlantic League’s Lengthy Island Geese. The 38-year-old right-hander — a veteran of 264 big-league video games over seven seasons, together with 5 with the Detroit Tigers — final pitched affiliated ball in 2018.
———
Which is healthier, baseball on TV or baseball on the radio? I requested that query in a Twitter ballot a number of days in the past, and the outcomes favored eyeballs over ears. TV obtained 56.7 of the votes, whereas radio garnered 43.3%.
Whatever the medium, the standard of the folks behind the microphones issues. For my part, it issues so much. I do my greatest to tune in to all kinds of video games, even for simply an inning or two — conserving abreast of what’s taking place throughout the 2 leagues is a part of my job — and it’s secure to say that not all play-by-play announcers and analysts are created equal. Whether or not I go for TV or radio, or for house or away, the respective voices of the sport strongly affect my selection.
As one commenter on the ballot put it, “It relies upon upon the broadcasters.”
———
LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Emma Tiedemann and Rylee Pay — the second all-female sales space in skilled baseball historical past — are discovering chemistry as Double-A Portland’s broadcast group. Jen McCaffrey wrote about them for The Athletic (subscription required).
KCUR Kansas Metropolis’s Greg Echlin reported on how the Royals-owned City Youth Academy, within the opinion of some members of town’s African-American neighborhood, has strayed from its authentic objectives.
At Forbes, John Perrotto wrote about how Oakland Athletics supervisor Mark Kotsay is staying optimistic throughout a horrid season.
Sports activities Illustrated’s Stephanie Apstein wrote about how MLB has the facility to maintain the A’s within the Bay Space.
Jonathan Mayo did a mock draft at MLB.com.
———
RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
The Cleveland Guardians have misplaced 17 video games by one run, probably the most within the majors.
Andrew McCutchen has 1,999 hits, 399 doubles, 295 house runs, a 129 wRC+, and 51.9 WAR. Corridor of Famer Tony Oliva had 1,917 hits, 329 doubles, 220 house runs, a 129 wRC+, and 40.7 WAR.
Kansas Metropolis Royals right-hander Jordan Lyles is 0-10 with a 6.84 ERA and a .239 BABIP-against. His 18 house runs allowed are probably the most within the majors.
Patrick Knowledge has struck out 77 occasions in 202 plate appearances. Luis Arraez has struck out 12 occasions in 248 plate appearances.
Juan Gonzalez had 157 RBIs and 46 walks in 1998. Ted Williams had 159 RBIs and 162 walks in 1949.
Henry Aaron and Willie Mays every had 648 house runs on June 9, 1972. “Hammerin’ Hank” moved forward of the “Say Hey Child” on the all-time homer listing — solely Babe Ruth had extra — the next day.
On right now’s date in 1985, Von Hayes hit a solo house run and a grand slam as a part of a nine-run first inning because the Philadelphia Phillies routed the New York Mets 26-7 at Veteran’s Stadium. The rating was 16-0 after two innings.
On right now’s date in 1979, Bob Stanley threw a complete-game four-hitter because the Boston Pink Sox beat the Kansas Metropolis Royals 4-0 in 10 innings. The dropping pitcher was Steve Busby, who allowed two hits in nine-and-a-third innings.
Gamers born on right now’s date embrace Wheezer Dell, who went a mixed 19-23 with a 2.55 ERA whereas pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1912, and the Brooklyn Robbins from 1915-1917. The Tuscarora native was the primary major-league participant born within the state of Nevada.
Additionally born on right now’s date was Pop Pleasure, a primary baseman who performed for the Union Affiliation’s Washington Nationals in 1884. The Washington DC native had 28 hits — all singles — in 130 at-bats.
