Ariel Benavides

Ariel Benavides Perigo

• Throws Left

• Born May 13, 1970

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Ariel Benavides played for over a decade in Cuba and appeared with the Cuban national team several times.

Benavides hit 25 home runs for Guantánamo to lead the 1995-1996 Cuban Serie Nacional. He went 2 for 3 for Cuba in the 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games, in which they won a Gold Medal. He hit .263 and slugged .579 in the 1998 Haarlem Baseball Week; his 6 RBI tied Australia's Ronny Johnson for 7th. In the 1998 Baseball World Cup, Ariel was 2 for 9, backing up Robelquis Videaux in right and Orestes Kindelan at DH. He did not play in the Gold Medal game, won by Cuba.

In 2001-2002, he tied Vaisel Acosta and Yunieski Betancourt for the lead with 7 sacrifice flies. He was 1 for 1 in the 2003 Pan American Games (won by Cuba) and played in the Olympic qualifier to help Cuba get a spot in the 2004 Olympics. In the 2003 Baseball World Cup, Benavides was 1 for 3, backing up Danel Castro at DH and Videaux and Osmani Urrutia in right. Cuba won another Gold.

Through 2004, Benavides had a career batting line of .317/.411/.515 with 172 home runs in 13 seasons.