Who doesn’t love two way players?

In a little over a week, the 2024 MLB draft is set to take place, with the Blue Jays picking 20th-overall for the second consecutive season. They’ll also pick again on the first day, as they have the 59th-overall pick. Rounding out the top five rounds, they have picked 95, 125, 136, and 158.
Overall, the Blue Jays have a signing bonus pool of $8,987,000 which is used to pick players from the first 10 rounds, or with their first 11 picks. Players selected in rounds 11-20 can sign up to $150,000 before counting towards the pool.
In this article, we’ll take a look at one of the most intriguing players in the draft, Carson Benge.
<h2>Carson Benge’s bio</h2>
Carson Benge is a 6’1”, 184 lbs outfielder/relief pitcher who is a junior at Oklahoma State University. He ranks as MLB Pipeline’s 18th-best prospect, right in range for the Blue Jays to select him.
The Blue Jays have one of Benge’s former teammates in the organization, as they selected Juaron Watts-Brown from Oklahoma State in the third-round of last season’s draft. The season prior, they signed Kale Davis, but he didn’t sign. Prior to that, the last time they drafted a player from the school was all the way back in 2001 when they selected Darren Heal in the 22nd-round.
<h2>Carson Benge’s stats</h2>
Missing the 2022 season with Tommy John surgery, Benge started his collegiate career in 2023, where he slashed .345/.468/.538 with seven homers in 248 plate appearances. To go along with that, he pitched 35 innings, starting in all 10 games, and posting a 6.69 ERA, along with a 21 K% and a 14.4 BB%.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Carson Benge Shut the Door! OSU has had some heart breaks this week in the late innings, that much is for sure, but Carson Benge made today uneventful &amp; that&#39;s a GREAT thing. Not the weekend we all hoped, but super proud of the boys for fighting back and gettin&#39; this one today.… <a href="https://t.co/U5Scv1nxiH">pic.twitter.com/U5Scv1nxiH</a>
&mdash; OState Daily (@Ostate_Daily) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ostate_Daily/status/1782186410851627166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
His 2024 season went much better, slashing .335/.444/.665 with a career-best 18 homers in 304 plate appearances, along with a 16.8 K% and a 16.1 BB%. Benge mainly pitched out of the bullpen, posting a 3.16 ERA with a 28.2 K% and a 7 BB% in 37 innings pitched.
<h2>Carson Benge’s tools</h2>
MLB Pipeline’s scouting report notes that he’s a first-round pick with the bat and a third-round pick as a pitcher, so there’s a chance he could develop as a two-way player after he’s selected.
As a hitter, he is a good hitter who can make contact while also ripping the ball with high exit velocities. Benge has a good eye at the plate, and has solid bat speed mixed with a good hit tool.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/Carsonbenge3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Carsonbenge3</a> doing <a href="https://twitter.com/Carsonbenge3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Carsonbenge3</a> things<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoPokes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoPokes</a> <a href="https://t.co/xoHlJor9Sc">pic.twitter.com/xoHlJor9Sc</a>
&mdash; OSU Cowboy Baseball (@OSUBaseball) <a href="https://twitter.com/OSUBaseball/status/1777049652132798671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He’s a quick runner and has a plus arm, as one could imagine. Benge has hit 96 mph with the fastball and features a slider and a changeup with average control, especially out of the bullpen. It’s worth noting that he prefers to hit, so his pitching career may be finished.
<h2>Carson Benge’s grades</h2>
As always, we’ll look at his grades according to MLB Pipeline.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Grade</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hit</td>
<td>55</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Power</td>
<td>55</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Run</td>
<td>50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Arm</td>
<td>60</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Field</td>
<td>55</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Overall</td>
<td>55</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Unfortunately, the site doesn’t have his pitching grades, but there’s a strong likelihood that he will become a full-time outfielder, rather than a two-way player like he was in college.
<h2>Will the Blue Jays select Carson Benge</h2>
The Blue Jays’ outfield depth in the organization has improved in recent seasons, but aside from Alan Roden, they don’t have an outfielder in the upper-minors with high potential.
Benge would change that though. The hit tool is above average, and he can also hit for power. The 21-year-old has a strong arm and pairs that with good fielding ability and average speed. He’s not quite a five-tool player, but all his tools are average or better, which could make him the best player available when the Blue Jays pick 20th.
<hr />
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.

Who doesn’t love two way players?



In a little over a week, the 2024 MLB draft is set to take place, with the Blue Jays picking 20th-overall for the second consecutive season. They’ll also pick again on the first day, as they have the 59th-overall pick. Rounding out the top five rounds, they have picked 95, 125, 136, and 158.

Overall, the Blue Jays have a signing bonus pool of $8,987,000 which is used to pick players from the first 10 rounds, or with their first 11 picks. Players selected in rounds 11-20 can sign up to $150,000 before counting towards the pool.

In this article, we’ll take a look at one of the most intriguing players in the draft, Carson Benge.
<h2>Carson Benge’s bio</h2>
Carson Benge is a 6’1”, 184 lbs outfielder/relief pitcher who is a junior at Oklahoma State University. He ranks as MLB Pipeline’s 18th-best prospect, right in range for the Blue Jays to select him.

The Blue Jays have one of Benge’s former teammates in the organization, as they selected Juaron Watts-Brown from Oklahoma State in the third-round of last season’s draft. The season prior, they signed Kale Davis, but he didn’t sign. Prior to that, the last time they drafted a player from the school was all the way back in 2001 when they selected Darren Heal in the 22nd-round.
<h2>Carson Benge’s stats</h2>
Missing the 2022 season with Tommy John surgery, Benge started his collegiate career in 2023, where he slashed .345/.468/.538 with seven homers in 248 plate appearances. To go along with that, he pitched 35 innings, starting in all 10 games, and posting a 6.69 ERA, along with a 21 K% and a 14.4 BB%.

https://twitter.com/Ostate_Daily/status/1782186410851627166

His 2024 season went much better, slashing .335/.444/.665 with a career-best 18 homers in 304 plate appearances, along with a 16.8 K% and a 16.1 BB%. Benge mainly pitched out of the bullpen, posting a 3.16 ERA with a 28.2 K% and a 7 BB% in 37 innings pitched.
<h2>Carson Benge’s tools</h2>
MLB Pipeline’s scouting report notes that he’s a first-round pick with the bat and a third-round pick as a pitcher, so there’s a chance he could develop as a two-way player after he’s selected.

As a hitter, he is a good hitter who can make contact while also ripping the ball with high exit velocities. Benge has a good eye at the plate, and has solid bat speed mixed with a good hit tool.

https://twitter.com/OSUBaseball/status/1777049652132798671

He’s a quick runner and has a plus arm, as one could imagine. Benge has hit 96 mph with the fastball and features a slider and a changeup with average control, especially out of the bullpen. It’s worth noting that he prefers to hit, so his pitching career may be finished.
<h2>Carson Benge’s grades</h2>
As always, we’ll look at his grades according to MLB Pipeline.
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Tool</td>
<td>Grade</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hit</td>
<td>55</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Power</td>
<td>55</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Run</td>
<td>50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Arm</td>
<td>60</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Field</td>
<td>55</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Overall</td>
<td>55</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Unfortunately, the site doesn’t have his pitching grades, but there’s a strong likelihood that he will become a full-time outfielder, rather than a two-way player like he was in college.
<h2>Will the Blue Jays select Carson Benge</h2>
The Blue Jays’ outfield depth in the organization has improved in recent seasons, but aside from Alan Roden, they don’t have an outfielder in the upper-minors with high potential.

Benge would change that though. The hit tool is above average, and he can also hit for power. The 21-year-old has a strong arm and pairs that with good fielding ability and average speed. He’s not quite a five-tool player, but all his tools are average or better, which could make him the best player available when the Blue Jays pick 20th.

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.

With the 20th overall pick, the Blue Jays could select… Carson Benge?

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