Career Timeline of Will Benson: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Will Benson made an impact.

Will Benson is a professional baseball outfielder currently playing for the Cincinnati Reds in MLB. Previously, he played for the Cleveland Guardians. Benson was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft and debuted in MLB in 2022.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

2015: Won U-18 Baseball World Cup

In 2015, Will Benson played for the national under-18 team that won the U-18 Baseball World Cup.

2016: Professional Debut

In 2016, Will Benson made his professional debut with the Arizona League Indians, posting a .209 batting average with six home runs and 27 runs batted in.

2016: Drafted by Cleveland Indians

In 2016, Will Benson was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the MLB draft.

2016: Signed with the Cleveland Indians

In 2016, the Cleveland Indians selected Will Benson in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Indians for a $2.5 million signing bonus, foregoing his commitment to Duke University.

2017: Played for Mahoning Valley Scrappers

In 2017, Will Benson played for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, batting .238 with ten home runs and 36 runs batted in.

2018: Played for Lake County Captains

In 2018, Will Benson played with the Lake County Captains, hitting .180 with 22 home runs and 58 runs batted in.

April 18, 2019: Hit Four Home Runs in One Game

On April 18, 2019, Will Benson hit four home runs in a single game while playing for Lake County.

July 2020: Signed with Team Texas

In July 2020, Will Benson signed with Team Texas of the Constellation Energy League and batted .143 in 24 games.

2021: Played for Akron and Columbus

In 2021, Will Benson started the season with the Akron RubberDucks and was later promoted to the Columbus Clippers in August.

2022: Contract Selected by Guardians

In 2022, Will Benson batted .279 in Triple-A. On August 1, the Guardians selected his contract. On August 10, 2022, Benson collected his first career hit, an RBI single against the Detroit Tigers.

2022: MLB Debut

In 2022, Will Benson made his Major League Baseball debut for the Cleveland Guardians.

February 8, 2023: Traded to Cincinnati Reds

On February 8, 2023, Will Benson was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Justin Boyd and Steve Hajjar.

2023: Played for the Reds

In 2023, Will Benson played in 108 games for the Reds, batting .275/.365/.498 with 11 home runs, 31 RBI, and 19 stolen bases.

2024: Played for Cincinnati

In 2024, Will Benson played in 128 games for Cincinnati, slashing .187/.274/.376 with 14 home runs, 43 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. He had issues with strikeouts.

2025: Called up to Cincinnati

In 2025, Will Benson was optioned to Triple-A Louisville to begin the season, but was called up to Cincinnati from April 8 to 12, then again on May 9. He homered in four straight games from May 15 to 18 and was later named National League Player of the Week.