Will Benson Fantasy Stats

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson will start Tuesday's contest against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates on the bench with left-hander Bailey Falter on the mound at PNC Park. Connor Joe will get the nod in right field and will hit in the nine-hole for Cincy. Benson has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball since being called up from Triple-A Louisville on May 10, going 12-for-30 (.400) with five home runs, three doubles, 11 RBI, one steal and seven runs scored in nine games played. The 26-year-old lefty hitter has essentially become the team's strong-sided platoon option in right field against right-handed pitchers thanks to his hot streak. He'll take a seat with a lefty on the mound on Tuesday, though, with Joe being an option to avoid in DFS in the ninth spot. Joe went hitless in nine at-bats with the Padres to start the year and has gone 6-for-15 with an RBI in four games with the Reds.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson is making another start in right field and is batting seventh in Monday's series opener against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Mitch Keller at PNC Park. Benson has become a hot waiver-wire pickup in the last week after clubbing five home runs in his last four games, including two in Sunday's 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Guardians. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder is now batting an impressive .367/.424/.933 with a 1.358 OPS, albeit in just 30 at-bats. The former 14th overall pick by the Guardians in 2016 has been a streaky hitter in his career, so fantasy managers will want to take advantage of this hot streak for however long it lasts. Since being called up from Triple-A Louisville on May 9, he's hitting .423 with 11 RBI. Benson's hot streak will be tested against Keller, who he's gone hitless against in 10 career at-bats.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson led the charge on Sunday, hitting two home runs and driving in all three of the Reds' runs in their 3-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Benson has been on an absolute tear at the dish, hitting homers in four consecutive games and driving in 10 runs over that stretch. The 26-year-old had a rough 2024 season and was in Triple-A to start this season, but hit well in the minors and earned a call-up on May 10. In his short time in the majors, Benson is now up to a .367 AVG with six runs scored, five homers, 11 RBI, and a stolen base in 30 at-bats. There was some hype around Benson in years past, and he might be finally breaking out. Even though it is a small sample size, Benson is worth a look in standard-size leagues in hopes he can keep it going.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in his team's 7-1 win against the Chicago White Sox. The former first-round pick rejoined the team a few days ago to fill in for the injured Jake Fraley (calf) in right field and has done well in his stead. In five games, Benson has more extra-base hits than singles (three), smacked his first homer, stole a base, and has drawn more walks (three) than strikeouts (two). It's encouraging to see him producing right away, particularly after he hit .187 in 2024 over 343 at-bats and struck out four times in his first outing with the Reds back in April. The 26-year-old performed well with Triple-A Louisville this season, so if he can continue getting on base, maybe he sticks even after Fraley returns. His quality of contact is looking excellent right now, albeit over a small sample.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson has enjoyed a strong start to the Triple-A regular season. Through his first four contests, Benson has tallied at least two hits in all but one and even posted a three-hit outing in the season opener. Across this stint, Benson has held a stellar .421/.421/.684 slash line with eight total hits. Benson has hit one triple and one round-tripper. The 26-year-old has brought in three runs and scored seven. This is a great sign for Benson, as he was unable to make the Opening Day roster. After posting a promising .275/.365/.498 slash line during the 2023 campaign in Cincinnati, Benson took a significant step back in 2024 as he slashed an underwhelming .187/.274/.376 line with just 14 long balls. Benson is worth monitoring in deeper formats as he could eventually earn another opportunity in the majors. He could be worth taking a flyer on when he does get the call, given his ability to hit for power and steal bases.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson was optioned to Triple-A Louisville. Benson was competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster but will instead begin his 2025 campaign in the minor leagues. Benson struggled at the plate last season as he held an underwhelming .187/.274/.376 slash line with 14 home runs and 16 stolen bases. He generated a poor .268 xwOBA with a .180 xBA. This was a sharp decline when looking at the .275/.365/.498 slash line with 11 home runs and 19 stolen bases. During that campaign, Benson generated a solid 42.3 percent hard-hit rate and drew walks at an elite 12.2 percent rate. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression at Triple-A as he should be in the mix to return to the big leagues as an injury replacement. When he does get the call, he could be worth a look in deeper NL-only leagues, given his ability to hit for power and steal bases.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson could open the season in the minor leagues. Given the depth in the Cincinnati outfield, Benson may be on the outside, given his poor performance in the majors last season. However, manager Terry Francona did note that the 26-year-old will be given opportunities in the spring. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his performance in spring training as it will likely provide clarity on where he will open the campaign. Last season, the former 14th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft posted a poor .187/.274/.376 line with 14 home runs and 16 stolen bases across 128 games. This was a sharp decline from the .275/.365/.498 line he held during the 2023 campaign. He will compete for a corner outfield spot alongside Stuart Fairchild, Santiago Espinal, and Blake Dunn during camp.

According to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson has reworked his swing during the offseason. Rosecrans noted that the 26-year-old had done this to give him a better opportunity to earn a role in a crowded outfield. Last season, Benson took a significant step back as he held a .187/.275/.376 slash line with 19 doubles, 14 home runs, and 16 stolen bases. In 2023, Benson posted a strong .275/.365/.489 line with 11 home runs and 19 stolen bases. In 2024, Benson generated a 40.1 percent hard-hit rate and a hefty 39.7 percent strikeout rate, both worse than his 2023 production. During the offseason, the Reds added Austin Hays to their outfield and have expressed interest in moving Matt McLain to center field. In addition, the Reds also have Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl, and Jake Fraley in their outfield. As a result, Benson will need to perform very well in spring training to open the season with a starting role.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (finger) is out of the lineup again on Thursday versus the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park. Benson injured his left middle finger on Sept. 12 and hasn't played since, but apparently he's feeling better after coming off the bench in the team's last two games. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger will continue to be an outfield bench bat to close out the season. He does have 14 round-trippers on the year and 14 stolen bases in 328 at-bats, but he's hitting just .192 (63-for-328). Benson has played in just seven games in the month of September and has only one hit, an RBI, three walks and five strikeouts in his 13 plate appearances. Since the All-Star break, he's hit .200 (14-for-70) with four homers, four doubles, 10 RBI, nine walks and 30 strikeouts in 79 plate appearances.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (finger) was forced to leave Thursday's game early against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals when his fingers were hit while trying to bunt. X-rays came back negative on Benson, though, and he was diagnosed with a bruised left middle finger. Before exiting the eventual 6-1 loss, Benson was hitless in his only at-bat with a strikeout. He was replaced by pinch-hitter Amed Rosario and was eventually replaced in left field by Jake Fraley. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should consider Benson day-to-day, but don't be surprised if he's not available for Friday's series opener in Minnesota against the Twins at Target Field. The 26-year-old former 14th overall pick by the Cleveland Guardians in 2016 has a modest power/speed combination as a platoon player in Cincy with 14 homers and 14 stolen bases, but his .191 average (62-for-325) has been a real drag.