Will Benson Finding Groove With The Guardians Through His Defense
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Most rookies that have made their debut with the Guardians in 2022 have hit the ground running and have made an immediate impact on the team. Names such as Steven Kwan and Oscar Gonzalez come to mind.
However, Will Benson hasn't had that same immediate success that these players have had.
His offensive numbers are rough, to put it extremely kindly. Benson has only had five hits (or batting .152) since being called up and is striking out about once every three at-bats.
While yes this is alarming, Benson was absolutely torching minor league pitching and the only way for him to get better is to get consistent looks at the Big League level.
One part of his game that is starting to blossom is his defense. Benson has played most of his time with the Guardians in the center field when Tito decides to give Myles Straw the day off.
It doesn't matter what other people say. Center field is not "just another outfield position." It has to be played completely differently than the corner spots and it's not easy.
There has been an adjustment period for Benson as he has played out in center, but he's finally starting to show what he can do and why the team called him up.
In Tuesday's win over the Orioles, Benson had two spectacular catches. Check out the first one where he robbed Rougned Odor of extra bases:
After the game, Benson was asked if he feels that he is getting more comfortable in center. He said, "Absolutely. I try to take those batting practice opportunities pretty seriously because that's when you can really get acclimated to a field."
Benson is clearly willing to put in the work to get better on both ends which is such an encouraging sign. Once he comes around he will be another valuable piece to the Guardians' future.
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