John Van Benschoten, baseball player, 2004-2008

John Van Benschoten

Born: 4/14/1980 in San Diego, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 2004-08-18 | Final Game: 2008-07-26

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 215 lbs

Full name: John Wesley Van Benschoten

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Biography

John Van Benschoten was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008. Born in 1980, he made his debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he showcased a powerful arm and a competitive spirit on the mound. Over the course of his career, Van Benschoten compiled a record of 2-13 with an earned run average (ERA) of 9.2, and he struck out 65 batters. Despite battling through challenges in his performance, his tenure in the majors offered glimpses of the potential that had once made him a highly regarded prospect. Van Benschoten's playing style was characterized by a hard throw and a willingness to challenge hitters, which reflected the aggressive approach of many pitchers in the mid-2000s era of baseball. While he did not achieve the level of success that many anticipated, his journey through the league underscored the unpredictability of player development and the fierce competition within professional baseball. After his final appearance in 2008, Van Benschoten transitioned away from the game, leaving behind a legacy as a player who embodied the challenges faced by many in the pursuit of a successful major league career.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
2 13 26 19 0 0 0 90.0 125 92 14 68 65 9.20 0

Career ERA 9.20 vs. league average 4.42 across their career seasons — 108.1% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
2004 PIT NL 1 3 6 5 0 0 0 28.7 33 22 19 18 6.91 4.46 (-55%) -639.4
2007 PIT NL 0 7 11 9 0 0 0 39.0 55 44 29 26 10.15 4.47 (-127%) -1358.2
2008 PIT NL 1 3 9 5 0 0 0 22.3 37 26 20 21 10.48 4.32 (-142%) -2295.1

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
26 21 3 2 1 0 1 2 0 3 8 0.095 0.208 0.286 0.494 0.0

Career AVG .095 vs. league average .266 across their career seasons — 64.2% below league average.

Career OBP .208 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — 37.7% below league average.

Career SLG .286 vs. league average .422 across their career seasons — 32.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.494 vs. league average 0.757 across their career seasons — 34.7% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
2004 PIT NL 6 8 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 3 0.125 — — — — 0.0
2007 PIT NL 11 7 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 3 0.143 — — — — 0.0
2008 PIT NL 9 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 26 19 1 10 0 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
2004 PIT P 6 5 1 4 0 1
2007 PIT P 11 9 0 5 0 0
2008 PIT P 9 5 0 1 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 26

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
2006 PIT NL $327,000
2005 PIT NL $316,000
Total Career Earnings $643,000

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Kent State University Kent OH 1999, 2000, 2001