Cleveland Indians minor league outfielder Will Benso had a game to remember on Thursday.
Over the course of major league history, 18 players have hit four home runs in a game. It is a rare occurrence, even in these days where the ball is flying out of the stadium at record levels. In comparison, there have been 23 perfect games in major league history, showing exactly how rare a four home run game truly is.
While there have been more four homer games in the minors, those occasions are still rarities. On Thursday, Cleveland Indians prospect Will Benson exploded for the Lake County Captains of the Midwest League, belting four home runs against the South Bend Cubs. It was the first four homer game in the minors since Mike Ford had four homers on May 25, 2004. Benson’s home run barrage was also the first four homer game in the Midwest League since Garrett Jones back in 2002.
Coming into the season, Benson was ranked as the Indians 25th best prospect. The 14th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, Benson had been an intriguing prospect due to his power and speed. As it stands, the raw power and quick bat are still there, but his swing still has plenty of flaws.
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That was evident in his first stint with the Captains last season. Over his 506 plate appearances, Benson had 22 homers and drew 82 walks, showing an ability to lay off of pitches outside the strike zone. However, he had a .180/.324/.370 batting line, leading to the Indians sending him back to the Midwest League for the start of the 2019 campaign.
Thus far, the results have been promising. Following his impressing showing on Thursday, Benson has a .341/.431/.864 batting line, with six homers and seven walks in his 44 plate appearances. Yet, those tendencies to miss in the zone remain, as Benson has also struck out 19 times.
Chances are, Benson will not be able to keep up the hot start until that tendency to swing and miss is corrected. Even with those issues, his power is quite intriguing, especially after his outburst on Thursday. That power alone could lead to a promotion to High-A at some point this season, but his potential is capped by his struggles with contact.
Regardless of his future prospects, Will Benson had a night to remember on Thursday. The Cleveland Indians minor leaguer made his mark on the record books in the Midwest League.