Mike Benjamin
Michael Paul Benjamin
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 169 lb.
- College Cerritos College, Arizona State University
- High School Bellflower High School
- Debut July 7, 1989
- Final Game September 28, 2002
- Born November 22, 1965 in Euclid, OH USA
Biographical Information[edit]
Mike Benjamin was signed as a 3rd round pick in the 1987 amateur draft by the San Francisco Giants and scout Gene Thompson. A prototypical good field, no-hit player, Benjamin managed 11 years of major league service, spent mostly with the San Francisco Giants and the Pittsburgh Pirates. His career major league batting average was .229 in over 800 games. His only notable offensive category was in hitting 7 triples for the Pirates in the 1999 season, when he was the starting shortstop for most of the year. Yet, Mike holds the record for most hits in three consecutive games amassing 14 hits in 18 at bats in June of 1995 when he was with the Giants; in spite of that outburst, he hit .220 on the season.
After his playing career was over, he coached his son, Mike Jr., to the Little League World Series. Benjamin reportedly coached high school baseball for four years, though this could not be confirmed. His son played for his alma mater, Arizona State University from 2011-2013. Benjamin the elder became an assistant coach there in 2010-2014 under head coach Tim Esmay.
Benjamin then moved back to the pro ranks as manager of the AZL Diamondbacks in 2015, Kane County Cougars in 2016, and Missoula Osprey in 2017-2018. He led Missoula to the playoffs in 2017 and was the first manager in franchise history to do so by winning both halves in the season. In 2018, the Osprey narrowly missed the playoffs, but Benjamin received rave reviews for keeping one of the youngest teams in the league consistent and competitive throughout the entire season.[1] He moved to bench coach for the Osprey in 2019 and was scheduled to return in the same role to the renamed Missoula PaddleHeads in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic shut down minor league baseball.
In 2021, the Executive Director of the Scottsdale Dirtbags, Tim Esmay, hired Benjamin to coach one of the organization's travel ball teams. It is unknown if Benjamin continued in this capacity beyond 2021. Benjamin returned to professional baseball coaching as a hitting coach for the ACL Athletics in 2024.
Year-By-Year Minor League Managerial Record[edit]
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | AZL Diamondbacks | Arizona League | 25-30 | 9th | Arizona Diamondbacks | |
| 2016 | Kane County Cougars | Midwest League | 65-75 | 11th (t) | Arizona Diamondbacks | |
| 2017 | Missoula Osprey | Pioneer League | 38-38 | 3rd (t) | Arizona Diamondbacks | Lost in 1st round |
| 2018 | Missoula Osprey | Pioneer League | 39-36 | 5th | Arizona Diamondbacks |
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