Butch Benton

Who is Butch Benton?

Alfred Lee "Butch" Benton was a right-handed catcher in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians from 1978 to 1985.

A highly touted prospect out of Godby High School in Tallahassee, Florida, Benton was the 6th overall selection in the first round of the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft. He made the jump from AA to the major leagues at age 21 in 1978 when he joined the Mets as a September call-up. He made his major league debut on September 14, pinch-hitting for Roy Lee Jackson. Facing Dan Schatzeder, Benton flew out to center field. He wouldn't break the lineup again until September 29, when he was hit by a Mike Krukow pitch as a pinch-hitter. Benton scored his first major league run as a pinch-runner the next day. Finally on October 1, the last day of the season, Benton got his first chance to play in the field, and also went 2-for-3 at the plate. His first major league hit was an RBI infield single of the Cubs' Lynn McGlothen. He knocked in a second run in the game with a single in the ninth. Benton was the sixth-youngest player to appear in the National League in 1978.

Benton spent the entirety of the 1979 season with the Mets' AAA affiliate in Tidewater and fared poorly, hitting only .198. However, an improved offensive performance in 1980 earned him some time in the majors again. Unfortunately, Benton struggled mightily, managing just one hit in 21 at-bats for a batting average of .048. Before the 1981 season, the Mets traded him to the Cubs for future considerations. He again spent the balance of the season in the minors, hitting just .202 for the Cubs' AAA team in Iowa. Benton showed his resiliency, however, rebounding to hit .330 in 1982. He made his debut for the Cubs after rosters expanded in September and managed one hit in seven at-bats over four games.