Jorge Benítez (minors)

Jorge Oscar Benítez

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 155 lb.

• High School Leadership Christian Academy

• Born June 2, 1999 in San Juan Puerto Rico

BR register page

Biographical Information

Jorge Benítez has pitched as high as AAA and has been on the Puerto Rican national team.

The Seattle Mariners took him in the 9th round of the 2017 amateur draft; the scouts were Dan Rovetto and Rafael Santo Domingo. He was 1-0 with a 7.82 ERA and 1.90 WHIP for the '17 AZL Mariners. In 2018, he pitched for the AZL Mariners (2-3, 4.92) and Everett AquaSox (1 R in 4 IP). In his Puerto Rican League debut, he registered one out and walked one for the Criollos de Caguas.

For the 2019 AquaSox, he was 2-3 with a 4.91 ERA, striking out 55 in 55 innings, missing the Northwest League top-ten in K by one. He allowed one run in 3 1/3 IP for the 2019-2020 Criollos. After the 2020 minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he pitched two shutout innings for Caguas in 2020-2021. With the 2021 Modesto Nuts, he was 1-2 with a 5.70 ERA and struck out 51 in 36 1/3 innings.

In 2022, he pitched for Modesto (5-2, 11 Sv, 3.25 in 25 G) and Everett (0-1, 3 Sv, 2.13 in 11 G), whiffing 62 in 48 2/3 IP. He was two saves behind Nick Ramirez for the most by a Seattle farmhand. He had a 2.08 ERA for the 2022 Peoria Javelinas. The next summer, he was with the AquaSox (0-2, 3 UER in 5 2/3 IP) and Arkansas Travelers (2-3, Sv, 2.14 in 40 G). He had 82 K in 64 2/3 IP overall, allowing only 42 hits, but walking 44. He was 6th in the Seattle system in appearances, between A.J. Puckett and Blake Weiman. He was 1-0 with a 0.60 ERA in 14 games for the 2023-2024 Criollos.

A free agent, he signed with the Boston Red Sox but was rocked with the Worcester Red Sox (2-3, 8.07 ERA, 2.02 WHIP in 26 G) and was let go. The Los Angeles Dodgers picked him but he did even worse with the Tulsa Drillers (10.80 ERA, 2.40 WHIP in 8 G). Making Puerto Rico's team for the 2024 Premier 12, he debuted against Team USA. Relieving Osvaldo Berríos in the bottom of the 6th with a 1-0 lead, two men in scoring position and two outs, he got Willie MacIver to end the threat. In the 7th, he retired Tim Elko, walked Carson Williams, got Justin Crawford then walked Colby Thomas and Cam Devanney before Chandler Simpson hit into an inning-ending force. Rubén Ramírez relieved and Puerto Rico kept the shutout going for a 1-0 upset. It would be their only win in their five games, though. Jorge pitched in a team-high four of them and did his share, with 4 1/3 shutout innings (1 H, 3 BB, 4 K).