The Guardians have opened up a spot on their 40-man roster and reduced the number of left-handed outfield prospects they have by trading former first-round pick, Will Benson, to the Cincinnati Reds.
Cleveland selected Benson 14th overall in the 2016 draft as an 18-year-old, but development was not always a smooth process for the 6’5” outfielder. Benson had a clear pattern of reaching a level, struggling, then figuring it out, which kept him in the minors until 2022.
In 2022, Benson made huge strides at Triple-A Columbus, cutting his strikeout rate from consistently being in the 30% range to 22.