
Legacy Devils: Michael's father Mike was an All-American infielder for the Sun Devils in 1986 and 1987. He was a third round pick of the San Francisco Giants and went to a 13-year big league career. He is currently in his third season as an assistant coach for Arizona State baseball...Michael was one of four Legacy Devils on the 2012 team along with Trever Allen, Tucker Esmay and Jake Wakamatsu.
2012 (Sophomore): Third on the team with a .322 batting average and second in on base percentage at .408...started 35 games at third base...collected a team and season-high, and a career best, five hits vs. Winthrop on March 3...recorded nine multi-hit games...his bat came alive in the final 16 games of the season, hitting .382 with 21 hits, 11 RBI, two home runs and 11 runs scored...collected a career-high five RBI en route to a 4-for-5 day with a three-run home run and a trio of singles in a win over Gonzaga May 11...finished the Gonzaga series with six hits in 11 at-bats, five RBI, two runs scored, a home run and two walks...had four RBI in a win over Western Michigan Feb. 18...hit by 12 pitches.
2011 (Freshman): Appeared in 12 games, making five starts...hit .182 (4-22) with a homer and three RBI...his first career hit was a memorable one, as it was a home run against BYU.
High School: A 2010 graduate of Basha High School...earned three varsity letters in both football and baseball...earned honorable mention All-Region honors as a sophomore, Second Team honors as a junior and First Team as a senior...was also a First Team All-Region quarterback and Second Team All-State QB as well as team MVP.
MLB Draft: A 45th round pick (1,370th overall) choice of the Colorado Rockies in the 2010 Major League Baseball draft.
Personal: Majoring in psychology...parents are Mike and Karen Benjamin of Queen Creek, Arizona...played in the 2003 Little League World Series for the Chandler All-Stars...his father was a coach on that team...would choose to have dinner with Babe Ruth, Tim Tebow, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and John McCain...chose ASU because "I was raised a Devil and I've always wanted to play here"...lists the Boston Red Sox as his favorite team...born March 18, 1992...full name is Michael Paul Benjamin.
Year | Avg. | GP | GS | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SLG% | BB | HBP | SO | GDP | OBP | SB | SBA | PO | A | E | F% |
2011 | .182 | 12 | 5 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .364 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .240 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 1 | .947 |
2012 | .322 | 38 | 35 | 121 | 22 | 39 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 22 | .438 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 1 | .408 | 5 | 7 | 23 | 72 | 12 | .888 |
Total | .301 | 50 | 40 | 143 | 29 | 43 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 25 | .427 | 9 | 12 | 25 | 1 | .383 | 5 | 7 | 26 | 87 | 13 | .897 |
Career Highs at Arizona State:
Hits | 5 | vs Winthrop, 3/3/12 |
RBI | 5 | at Gonzaga, 5/12/12 |
Runs | 3 | vs Utah, 5/5/12 |
Walks | 1 | mutiple times |
At Bats | 6 | vs Saint Mary's, 3/4/12 |