Joe Benson

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #19 prospect in 2013
  Benson has been on this list every year since being drafted in the second round in 2006, twice ranking No. 2 overall. He seemed to put it all together in 2011, posting an .883 OPS in Double-A and earning his first big league promotion. His 2012 was a disaster, however, beginning with a .179 start in Triple-A. After a demotion, he missed six weeks with broken hamate bone in his left hand, and he was in a 1-for-35 slump when he was shut down with a left knee injury in mid-August. He not only needed bone chips removed but also had cartilage damage, and knee surgery scrubbed him from the Arizona Fall League. Benson had injury issues in the past (fractured vertebra in 2008, broken right hand in 2009), but had stayed healthy the previous two seasons. A former Purdue football recruit, he remains one of the system's best athletes. He has plus speed and raw power, a cannon arm and the defensive chops to play center field. The problem is that he's not a pure hitter despite his fast hands. He never got into a rhythm in 2012, striking out in 29 percent of his at-bats--up from 22 percent the year before. Minnesota no longer is counting on Benson, and the system's outfield depth is catching up to him. With both Denard Span and Ben Revere traded in the offseason, Benson has his chance. His strong defense and a hot spring training could push him past the likes of Darin Mastroianni for the big league center-field job. Otherwise, he'll head back to Rochester to try to get back on track.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #2 prospect in 2012
  Benson has ranked among the Twins' top 15 prospects every year since being drafted 64th overall in 2006, moving in virtual lockstep with '06 first-rounder Chris Parmelee. Signed away from a Purdue football scholarship for $575,000, Benson has battled injuries-- including a knee problem that required arthroscopic surgery in 2011--but played in a career-high 135 games and made his major league debut last season. Minnesota still considers Benson a five-tool player, and so do scouts outside the organization. The biggest question is how much contact he'll make. He's too aggressive at times, still struggles with spin and doesn't always handle breaking balls on the outer half well. He improved his walk rate in 2011 by learning to lay off such pitches, and he made more hard contact with a better two-strike approach and a greater willingness to use the entire field. Benson has plus raw power and speed, though his power plays more consistently. He has one of the system's strongest and most accurate arms and is an above-average defender at all three outfield spots. Benson could help the Twins replace free agents Mike Cuddyer and Jason Kubel if they depart. He hasn't played at Triple- A yet, though, so he's probably headed to Rochester.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #4 prospect in 2011
  Signed away from a Purdue football scholarship for a $575,000 bonus, Benson showed flashes of talent in his first four pro seasons. He also struggled with strikeouts and his own aggressiveness, which at times landed him on the disabled list. He had his best season in 2010, shaking off a mid-May demotion to earn his way back to Double-A New Britain a month later and lead the system with 27 homers. Benson still has five-tool ability, though he likely will never be more than an average hitter. His other tools all rate as 60s or 70s on the 20-80 scouting scale. His raw power would be the best in the system if not for Miguel Sano, and his speed ranks right behind Ben Revere's. Benson has fast hands and excellent strength, though he must trust his hands and let balls travel deeper in order to make more consistent contact. He needs to do a better job of identifying and laying off breaking balls. He has center-field range to go with a right-field arm. Scouts who saw Benson in the second half and in the Arizona Fall League were impressed by his offensive progress, as were the Twins, who added him to the 40-man roster. He'll advance to Triple-A in 2011 and could replace free-agent-to-be Michael Cuddyer in right field in 2012.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #13 prospect in 2010
  Ranked as high as No. 2 on this list in 2008, Benson still has the potential for five plus tools. His problem remains staying healthy. He had a fractured vertebra in 2008, then missed two months last year when he broke his right hand punching a wall. Benson returned to help Fort Myers to the Florida State League playoffs and stayed hot with a 4-for-11 postseason showing and strong instructional league. He has improved his hitting ability, trusting his quick hands and waiting on pitches more often. While his strikeout rate remains a steady 28 percent--he has an all-out swing and problems with pitch recognition--he nearly set a career high in walks last season. Benson's power is still raw, as he has size, bat speed and strength but hasn't learned to loft the ball yet. He's a plus-plus runner who goes home to first in 4.0 seconds, allowing him to play a capable center field. His plus arm makes right field his likely future home. Benson's injuries haven't hurt his athleticism, but they have cost him development time. He's a cold-weather kid who committed to play football at Purdue before the Twins signed him for $575,000 as secondround pick in 2006. His strong instructional league likely will push him to Double-A in 2010.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #15 prospect in 2009
  Benson could have played football and baseball at Purdue, a testament to his strength, athleticism and tools. He was making strong progress in 2008, but he tried to play through a back injury sustained by an offseason car accident. His performance suffered, and doctors eventually diagnosed a fractured vertebra. He finally shut it down in late June and wasn't healthy enough to play in instructional league. A healthy Benson has better raw tools than any player in the system save Aaron Hicks, with excellent bat speed, raw power and premium strength. He's fast (4.0 seconds to first base from the right side) and has true center-field range. Unlike many football players, he has an excellent throwing arm, and he ranked second in the Midwest League in outfield assists (14 in just 69 games) despite his injury. Despite his tools, hitting hasn't come easy to Benson, who seemed to be thinking more at the plate this year instead of reacting, especially in trying to combat breaking balls. He's going to need plenty of at-bats to improve his instincts, pitch recognition and hitting skills. Back injuries can be troublesome, but the Twins have had players return from them with tools intact, such as former all-star Chuck Knoblauch. Benson is in the right organization for a raw, toolsy prep player who will need to make up for lost time. Minnesota is patient and loaded with outfielders, and Benson could conceivably return to low Class A for a third season, though a promotion is possible.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #2 prospect in 2008
  Benson could have played both baseball and football (as a running back) at Purdue but opted to sign with the Twins as a second-round pick for $575,000. He got off to a terrible start in his first full season, batting .175 in April, but rallied to hit .273 after the all-star break. Benson's tools are as prodigious as anyone's in the system. Once he settled into the routine of the season, he let his athletic ability take over and showed a short, quick swing and above-average power potential to all fields. He's a well above-average runner (4.0 seconds to first from the right side) who can handle center field despite his size and football build. His arm is strong enough to play in any outfield spot. It's never good when your weakest tool is your bat, but that's the case with Benson. Even in his strong second half, he struck out once every 3.2 at-bats. He'll need plenty of time to polish his overall offensive approach. His basestealing savvy also needs work after he was caught 16 times in 34 basestealing attempts. Benson has the highest ceiling in the system because of his power-speed combo and ability to play a premium position, but his bat might be three or more years away. He'll start 2008 at high Class A Fort Myers.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #8 prospect in 2007
  A high school catcher who also played some outfield, Benson is one of the organization's top athletes. He rushed for 2,183 yards as a senior and could have played college football if he hadn't signed for $575,000 as a second-round pick in June. He joined Chris Parmelee in jumping to low Class A late in the year, though he was gassed by season's end. Benson has first-round tools across the board and has the best power/speed combination of any Twins farmhand. He has above-average raw power and speed (4.1 seconds to first base from the right side), and with more experience he could be a center fielder. His average arm should play in either center or left field. Players with a football mentality like Benson's have to learn to grind their way through a baseball season, rather than going all-out all the time. His ability to make adjustments at the plate will determine whether his raw power becomes usable power. He's far less polished than Parmelee, but he also has a higher ceiling. Benson probably will need to rise one step at a time through the minor leagues, which means he'll return to low Class A in 2007.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Florida Complex League #20 prospect in 2006
  A star tailback who rushed for 2,183 yards as an Illinois high school senior and could have played college football, Benson committed to baseball after the Twins made him a second-round pick in June. He offered one of the better combinations of power and speed in the GCL. He also has the range and enough arm to play center field. Besides his physical tools, Benson has a knack for making adjustments and playing with a football mentality. He can get too aggressive at times and will have to tone down his approach at the plate and on the bases. He had the mental toughness to handle a jump to low Class A after injuries riddled the Twins' Beloit affiliate.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #99 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #100 prospect in 2011

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Benson has ranked among the Twins' top 15 prospects every year since being drafted 64th overall in 2006, moving in virtual lockstep with '06 first-rounder Chris Parmelee. Signed away from a Purdue football scholarship for $575,000, Benson had a knee problem that required arthroscopic surgery in 2011 but played in a career-high 135 games and made his major league debut. Scouting Report: Minnesota still considers Benson a five-tool player, and so do scouts outside the organization. The biggest question is how much contact he'll make. He's too aggressive at times, still struggles with spin and doesn't always handle breaking balls on the outer half well. He improved his walk rate in 2011 by learning to lay off such pitches, and he made more hard contact with a better two-strike approach and a greater willingness to use the entire field. Benson has plus raw power and speed, though his power plays more consistently. He has one of the system's strongest and most accurate arms and is an above-average defender at all three outfield spots. The Future: With Josh Willingham aboard, Benson will battle Ben Revere for the third spot in Minnesota's outfield. He hasn't played at Triple-A yet, so he's likely headed to Rochester.
• December, 2007 Scouting Report
  Benson could have played both baseball and football (as a running back) at Purdue but opted to sign with the Twins as a second-round pick for $575,000. He got off to a terrible start in his first full season, batting .175 in April, but rallied to hit .273 after the all-star break. Benson's tools are as prodigious as anyone's in the system. Once he settled into the routine of the season, he let his athletic ability take over and showed a short, quick swing and above-average power potential to all fields. He's a well above-average runner (4.0 seconds to first from the right side) who can handle center field despite his size and football build. His arm is strong enough to play in any outfield spot. It's never good when your weakest tool is your bat, but that's the case with Benson. Even in his strong second half, he struck out once every 3.2 at-bats. He'll need plenty of time to polish his overall offensive approach. His basestealing savvy also needs work after he was caught 16 times in 34 basestealing attempts. Benson has the highest ceiling in the system because of his power-speed combo and ability to play a premium position, but his bat might be three or more years away. He'll start 2008 at high Class A Fort Myers.