Sam Benschoter

Samuel Adam Benschoter

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 215 lb.
• School Michigan State University
• High School Tecumseh (MI) High School

• Born March 17, 1998 in Ann Arbor, MI USA

BR Register page

Biographical Information

Sam Benschoter has reached AAA despite being undrafted. He is the son of Adam Benschoter.

He allowed 3 unearned runs in 3 1/3 IP as a freshman at Michigan State University then had a 0-2, 4.82 record as a sophomore and 0-1, 9.42 as a junior. In 2020, he was 1-1 with a 6.87 ERA and 30 K in 18 1/3 IP in a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting an extra year of eligibility as a result, he had a 3-5, 7.40 record in 2021.

Despite his mediocre college numbers, Cincinnati Reds scout Tyler Gibbons saw the talent there and the Reds signed him as an undrafted free agent. He split the summer of 2021 between the ACL Reds (1 Sv, 1 H, 0 R in 4 IP) and Daytona Tortugas (0-1, 3.60 in 2 G). He bounced around in 2022, appearing for the ACL Reds (0-1, 6.35 in 3 G), Daytona (3-3, 4.01 in 14 G), the Dayton Dragons (1-1, 4.32 in 4 G) and Chattanooga Lookouts (0-1, 13.50 in 1 G). While he had a 4.72 ERA, he struck out 118 in 78 innings. He was 6th among Reds farmhands in Ks, between Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar, and had the fewest innings of anyone in their top ten in strikeouts. He was 1-2 with a 4.73 ERA for the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League.

He spent all of 2023 with one team, going 7-12 with a 7.28 ERA for Chattanooga. He allowed a Southern League-high 102 runs (3 more than Christian Mejias), tied Mejias for 3rd in losses and was up there in the other negative stats but also was 3rd with 140 K. He led Reds farmhands in all the major negative departments but trailed only Christian Roa and Connor Phillips in strikeouts. In all of minor league baseball, only three hurlers, all from the Pacific Coast League, allowed more runs.

Benschoter split 2024 between the Lookouts (2-5, 3.95 in 27 G) and the Louisville Bats (2-0, 5.95 in 6 G), showing good progress. He then made Team USA's roster for the 2024 Premier 12.