Ramon Benjamin
| IP | 396 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.795 |
| WHIP | 1.429 |
| BB/9 | 4.455 |
| SO/9 | 8.045 |
- Full name Ramon Antonio Benjamin
- Born 06/14/1987 in San Jose De Los Llanos, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: L
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Benjamin missed the 2008 season following shoulder surgery, but he came back with raw stuff that most lefthanders only can dream of. He works at 92-94 mph with his fastball and can reach 95. His hard slider could develop into a plus pitch. It's effective against both lefties and righties, and he shows the ability to put it on the back foot of the latter. Early in his career, Benjamin got by on pure arm strength and often had no idea where the ball was going. His location improved dramatically last year, especially in the second half, as he cleaned up his mechanics. He still has a little violence in his delivery, though, with his head clearing off to the third-base side as he throws. When he gets out of sync, his command suffers. Benjamin is strong and athletic. He's doing a better job of controlling his emotions, though he still doesn't always maintain an even keel. His ceiling is more as a set-up man than a closer, though he definitely has the arsenal to be more than a lefty specialist. He'll turn 24 in 2011, and the Marlins will try to get him to Double-A before the end of the year.
Minor League Top Prospects
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After a strong U.S. debut in 2007, Benjamin missed all of 2008 following shoulder surgery but bounced back strong in this summer, showing power stuff and improved feel for pitching. He continued to overpower hitters after a promotion to low Class A Greensboro, posting a 1.00 ERA in six relief appearances. Benjamin works comfortably at 92-94 mph and touches 95 with a fastball that has late life down in the zone. His 82-84 mph slider has sharp three-quarters break and is a swing-and-miss pitch against lefthanders and righthanders. Because he lacks a third pitch, he profiles as a late-innings reliever. He had a tendency to fly open in his delivery in the past, but Benjamin worked hard with Jammers pitching coach Doc Watson to improve his alignment, resulting in better command. "In the past the command has not been there, and now he's just a legitimate strike-thrower," Haines said. "He's good against righthanded hitters and lefties--he's not just a left-on-left guy. He just became a pitcher. It was fun to watch."
