John Van Benschoten Stats & Scouting Report

IP	90
ERA	9.2
WHIP	2.144
BB/9	6.8
SO/9	6.5

Full name John Wesley Van Benschoten
Born 04/14/1980 in San Diego, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Kent State
Debut 08/18/2004
Drafted in the 1st round (8th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2001 (signed for $2,400,000).

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VanBenschoten was undrafted as a righthander out of high school, and area scouts never paid more than passing interest until this spring when he blossomed into a sensation as a five-tool position player. By adding 20-25 pounds onto a 6-foot-5 frame in a rigorous offseason weight-training program, his strength caught up with his body. With better bat speed to go with a loft swing, he hit long home runs with regularity and led the nation with 30 homers heading into NCAA regional play. He was the Mid-American Conference player of the year and led Kent State to the conference title by winning MVP honors in the MAC tournament. Each of his tools is average or better, including speed (6.6 in the 60, rare for a player his size), arm strength (93 off the mound) and power. Scouts grade his power at 75 on the standard 20-to-80 scouting scale. He was used at first base and in the back end of the bullpen this spring at Kent State, but his destination in pro ball will be right field, where he can take advantage of his speed and arm strength. He has as much raw ability as any player in the draft.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

The Pirates bucked conventional draft wisdom by taking Van Benschoten as a pitcher in 2001, after he hit a Division I-leading 31 home runs and stole 23 bases in his junior season at Kent State. He showed great promise early in his pro career and was ranked as the Pirates' top prospect going into the 2003 and 2004 season, but he has been beset by injuries the past two years, having two arthroscopic surgeries on his right shoulder and one on his left. After sitting out all of 2005, Van Benschoten made five minor league starts at the end of the 2006 season, and the Pirates were pleased that his fastball velocity was close to its previous 91-94 mph. He also has a plus curveball and a slider that can be an out pitch when he throws it for strikes. He's athletic, capable of helping himself at the plate and in the field. Van Benschoten's biggest problem isn't only that he hasn't been able to stay healthy, but also that he hasn't been able to gain the experience necessary for someone who pitched only as a reliever in college. He also hasn't been able to develop a feel for his changeup. He still has the talent to be a No. 2 starter but needs to get on the mound consistently. He'll likely begin the season in Triple-A.
Van Benschoten missed the entire 2005 season because of three arthroscopic shoulder surgeries, one on his throwing arm and two on his left arm. He led NCAA Division I with 31 home runs at Kent State in 2001, and the Pirates surprised many clubs by drafting him eighth overall as a pitcher that June. After pitching strictly in relief in college, he reached the majors as a starter in three years. Van Benschoten has the ideal pitcher's build and a consistent 91-94 mph fastball. His best pitch is a late-breaking slider that causes many swings and misses. He also has a solid curveball. Despite trying several grips, Van Benschoten never has gained complete feel for a changeup. Despite his age, he lacks pitching experience because of his college background. His mechanics can wander at times, leading to a loss of location. Van Benschoten should be ready to pitch by the time spring training begins. He went just 4-11, 4.72 in Triple-A in 2004 and needs more time in the minors. He should challenge for a spot in the Pittsburgh rotation in 2007.
Van Benschoten hit 31 home runs to lead NCAA Division I in 2001, but the Pirates drafted him as a pitcher. He made his big league debut last season, but was shut down in September. He had surgery to repair his non-throwing shoulder, and then the Pirates discovered in January that he had a cyst and slightly torn labrum in his right shoulder. He had surgery to repair the damage. Van Benschoten has four pitches that could be average or better. He has a 90-92 mph fastball with good movement and a curveball that can be outstanding at times. His slider and changeup aren't quite as advanced. He's a tough competitor who won 26 straight starts without losing from 2002-03. He nibbled too much in the majors and needs better command of his pitches. That should come with experience, as Van Benschoten pitched only in relief at Kent State. His delivery tends to get out of whack at times, which affects his location. Though the operation on his right shoulder went better than expected, Van Benschoten still will be out until instructional league, costing him a crucial season of development as he tries to gain experience as a pitcher.
Former Pirates scouting director Mickey White, always an unorthodox sort, stunned the scouting community in 2001 when he drafted VanBenschoten in the first round as a pitcher. While VanBenschoten was at Kent State, he also led NCAA Division I with 31 homers that spring and most teams saw him as a prototypical right fielder. He has certainly justified White's decision, however. VanBenschoten has gone 24-12, 3.02 in 62 pro starts and was a standout in the 2003 Futures Game. He also pitched for Team USA in the Olympic qualifying tournament, delivering three scoreless innings in a quarterfinal loss to Mexico. VanBenschoten went 26 consecutive starts at one point without losing: his last eight at low Class A Hickory in 2002, then all nine at high Class A Lynchburg and his first nine at Double-A Altoona in 2003. The Pirates used VanBenschoten as both a pitcher and DH in his debut season with short-season Williamsport in 2001, but he has stayed strictly on the mound the last two years. He showed he still had his hitting stroke last season by going 4-for-12 (.333) with two doubles for Altoona. VanBenschoten has the makings of four average to plus pitches, the best of which is a 90-93 mph fastball that reaches 95 and has good movement down in the strike zone. His curveball is an above-average offering that he consistently throws for strikes. His slider and changeup continue to get better. VanBenschoten is athletic, which allows him to repeat his delivery and help himself in the field. In fact, his fluid mechanics make his heater look even faster. He's free-spirited with a terrific sense of humor, and he rarely gets rattled on the mound. He's confident without being cocky. VanBenschoten tired late in 2003, losing five straight decisions in the second half and getting knocked out in the first inning of his only playoff start against eventual Eastern League champion Akron. The Pirates say his stamina won't be a long-term problem and had no problem letting him pitch in the Olympic qualifying tourney. VanBenschoten has yet to gain full confidence in his changeup, a pitch he'll need to succeed in the majors. He's vulnerable when he leaves his pitches up in the strike zone. He still needs more experience pitching against high-caliber competition after concentrating on hitting in college. After making great strides in his three pro seasons despite his inexperience, VanBenschoten looks like he can be a frontline pitcher in Pittsburgh's rotation. He has adapted to each level of the minors but is likely to return to Double-A to open the season. He could move up to Triple-A Nashville before getting a September callup, and regardless should join the Pirates for good in 2005.
When VanBenschoten led NCAA Division I with 31 home runs as a junior at Kent State in 2001, most clubs projected him as a power-hitting right fielder. The Pirates watched VanBenschoten serve as the Golden Flashes' closer, however, and were intrigued enough by his mound work to surprise many by drafting him as a pitcher. VanBenschoten split time between pitcher and DH at short-season Williamsport in 2001 but stayed strictly on the mound last season and ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the low Class A South Atlantic League. He anchored the rotation as Hickory won the league championship. VanBenschoten has a power arm that wasn't abused by overwork in college. His fastball reaches the mid-90s with good movement and sits comfortably at 93 mph. At the behest of the Pirates, VanBenschoten began throwing his curveball more last year and it became a plus pitch by the end of the season. He also has a slider with hard, late movement. Pittsburgh has made sure not to overextend VanBenschoten but believes he'll develop into a workhorse once he gets settled into the majors. While he won't get a chance to swing a bat again until he reaches Double-A, VanBenschoten's power stroke figures to make him one of the game's better hitting pitchers. He's intelligent and takes instruction well. One Pirates executive calls VanBenschoten "the total package, everything you would want in a pitching prospect." VanBenschoten was a college prospect as a pitcher in high school but hasn't faced many advanced hitters. He tends to give up too many hits for a pitcher with his stuff, though that should change as he gains experience. Like most young pitchers, his changeup is erratic. He needs to refine it to have something to keep hitters off balance. VanBenschoten will move to high Class A Lynchburg this season. While the Pirates were criticized in some circles for not pushing him, they're mindful of his lack of experience. He has the talent to be a No. 1 starter and could skip a level and arrive in Pittsburgh by 2005.
VanBenschoten led NCAA Division I with 31 home runs while also serving as Kent State's closer in 2001. The Pirates, unlike most teams, liked VanBenschoten better for his arm and drafted him eighth overall as a pitcher. He was the No. 1 prospect in the short-season New York-Penn League, where he also got 75 at-bats as a DH. Tall with broad shoulders, VanBenschoten has a good pitcher's frame. He's a hard thrower, running his fastball up to 94 mph with the chance to add more velocity as he builds up regular innings and arm strength. His curveball has a chance to be a good pitch with its tight rotation. He lacks experience against top-flight competition, as he was primarily a reliever at a mid-major college program. He was a star pitcher in high school but needs time to settle in as a full-time pitcher. He also must develop a changeup. The Pirates believe they made the right choice in drafting VanBenschoten as a pitcher. He's a work in progress and likely will start this season at low Class A Hickory. If he bombs as a pitcher, the Pirates always have the option of making him a hitter.

Minor League Top Prospects

When managers and scouts look at the athletic 6-foot-4 VanBenschoten, they envision a rotation workhorse who can pile up productive innings. But for now, the former NCAA Division I home run champion is still learning how to pitch. He sometimes leaves his pitches up, which leads to too many big innings and explains his less-than-spectacular EL numbers. VanBenschoten throws a 90-93 mph fastball with good finish. His second pitch is a sharp curveball that he commands well. He also throws a slider and changeup that need improvement. He has the potential to have four major league pitchers, though it's uncertain that he'll have an out pitch.
To say VanBenscoten cruised through the CL would be an understatement. Showing off a fastball that reached the mid-90s, a tough curveball and an improving slider, VanBenschoten needed just nine starts to warrant a promotion to Double-A. "He creates a very easy arm angle," Massarelli said. "I like to say he has an effortless fastball. With everything I had read about him, I was expecting him to be kind of raw. But what I saw was an extremely polished pitcher for being at this level. He definitely has big league presence out there." VanBenschoten's delivery and command are polished for someone whom most clubs rated higher as a right fielder entering the 2001 draft. The NCAA Division I home run champion that spring, he has an advantage because he knows how hitters think.
Several managers felt VanBenschoten was the league's most advanced pitcher. Several wondered why the Pirates kept him in Hickory the entire season. "He didn't belong in this league in the second half," a Northern Division manager said. "I asked a friend of mine with the Pirates why he didn't move up and he said they didn't want to put any pressure on him. But he wasn't challenged much of the time after the all-star break." VanBenschoten showed the league's best overall command of all his pitches. He has a low-90s fastball with plus movement, along with a nasty, sharp-breaking slider that ties up hitters. He didn't use his changeup that often, something he'll have to address in the future.
After leading NCAA Division I with 31 home runs, VanBenschoten was highly sought after as one of the premium offensive talents on the draft board. The Pirates didn't surprise anyone by selecting him with the eighth overall pick, but a lot of heads turned when they announced their intention to try him as a righthanded pitcher. Whether it was on the mound every five days or with a bat in his hands in between starts, VanBenschoten's power potential was unmistakable. "Whatever he does he's going to succeed," Williamsport manager Tony Beasley said. Despite logging just 49 innings as a Kent State junior, VanBenschoten displayed a natural feel for pitching. He's developing four pitches, including a 94-mph fastball, an average slider, a changeup and a curveball. "I loved him as a pitcher," Utica manager Kevin Boles said. "He has a great frame and a loose, strong arm."