Donovan Benoit

Donovan Paul Benoit

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 203 lb.

• School Santa Fe College, Tulane University, University of Tennessee
• High School Pensacola Catholic High School

• Born January 22, 1999 in Key West, FL USA

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Donovan Benoit has pitched in the minors and for the Great Britain national team.

He had a 0.55 ERA as a junior, setting a school record in ERA; he was 6-0 and hit .355. He batted .433 and had a 2.33 ERA as a senior. He had a save and a 6.86 ERA as a freshman at Tennessee in 2018. Transferring to Santa Fe College, he struck out 68 in 63 2/3 IP in 2019 and was 5-3 with a 3.96 ERA. The Texas Rangers picked him in the 36th round of the 2019 amateur draft, but he did not sign.

Transferring again, he was 2-0 with a 4.29 ERA at Tulane in 2020, the season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. He was 4-4 with a 5.64 ERA and 67 K in 59 IP as a senior. The Cincinnati Reds chose him in the 10th round of the 2021 amateur draft and he signed for a $127,500 bonus. The scout was Leonard Partida. He was 0-1 with a 2.70 ERA for the 2021 ACL Reds in his pro debut, striking out 23 in 10 innings. In 2022, he began 3-4 with 13 saves and a 4.00 ERA for the Dayton Dragons, fanning 61 in 45 innings. He then joined the British squad for the 2022 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers; his mother was Scottish, enabling him to play.

He was one of four pitchers to make two appearances for Britain in the qualifiers, alongside Vance Worley, Michael Petersen and Tahnaj Thomas. In his debut, he relieved Daniel Cooper in the 5th with a 3-1 lead over Germany, the host. He struck out Lucas Dunn and got Demetrius Moorer on a grounder. Bruce Maxwell singled and Aaron Altherr walked but he recovered to whiff William Germaine. In the 6th, now up 6-1, he retired Daniel Aldrich, walked Shawn Larry, struck out Marco Cardoso, walked Simon Gühring and hit Dunn to load them up but got Moorer on a liner. Alex Webb took over in the 7th. His other game came when Britain clinched their first spot ever in a World Baseball Classic, for 2023. He relieved Petersen in the 8th with a 9-8 deficit against Spain. He went 1-2-3 against Oscar Angulo, Engel Beltré and Noelvi Marte, striking out the latter two. He continued the strikeout streak against Justin Connell and Jesús Ustariz then Chris Kwitzer grounded out. After Britain tied it in the bottom of the 9th, Tahnaj Thomas succeeded him in the tenth. He finished third in the event in Ks (behind Ronald Medrano and Yeudy Garcia) and only Garcia allowed a lower average among qualifiers. He tied for third in walks issued, behind Daniel Padyšák and Justin Erasmus and tied Lukáš Ercoli for third in ERA (Garcia and Michal Kovala were at 0 in more innings).