Benson made his professional debut in 2016 with the Rookie-levelArizona League Indians where he posted a .209 batting average with six home runs and 27 runs batted in during 44 games.[6][7] In 2017, he played for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the Low-ANew York–Penn League where he batted .238 with ten home runs and 36 runs batted in during 56 games, and in 2018, he played with the Lake County Captains of the Single-ASouth Atlantic League, hitting .180 with 22 home runs and 58 runs batted in during 123 games.[8] He returned to Lake County to begin 2019. On April 18, 2019, he hit four home runs in one game.[9] Benson was promoted to the Lynchburg Hillcats of the High-ACarolina League in June after hitting .272 with 18 home runs and 55 runs batted in during 62 games with Lake County.[10] Over 61 games in Lynchburg, he batted .189 with four home runs and 23 runs batted in.[11] Following his poor performance, he considered quitting baseball.[12]
In 2022, Benson batted .279 in 89 games in Triple-A.[16] The Guardians selected Benson's contract on August 1.[17] On August 10, Benson collected his first career hit, an RBI single off of Drew Hutchison of the Detroit Tigers.[18] He batted .182 and struck out 19 times in 61 plate appearances.[16]
Cincinnati Reds
Benson was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on February 8, 2023, for minor league outfielder Justin Boyd and pitcher Steve Hajjar.[19][20] Benson began the 2023 season with the Reds but was demoted to the Louisville Bats after getting one hit in eight games.[21] On June 7, Benson hit his first major league home run, a walk-off against the Los Angeles Dodgers.[22] He played in 108 games for the Reds, batting .275/.365/.498 with 11 home runs, 31 RBI, and 19 stolen bases.[23]
Benson played in 128 games for Cincinnati during the 2024 campaign, slashing .187/.274/.376 with 14 home runs, 43 RBI, and 16 stolen bases.[24] He struggled with strikeouts, fanning on almost 40 percent of plate appearances, up from 31 percent in 2023.[25][26]
Benson was optioned to Triple-A Louisville to begin the 2025 season.[27] He was called up to Cincinnati from April 8 to 12, then again on May 9.[28] He homered in four straight games from May 15 to 18, all Reds wins.[29] Benson was named the National League Player of the Week for the eighth week of the season after going 10-for-19 (.526) with five home runs and 10 RBI in that period. Benson earned his first career honor as National League Player of the Week, marking the first award for the Reds since Rece Hinds won last year on July 22, 2024.[30]
Benson's father, Ted, played college basketball for the Purdue Boilermakers.[32] He has an older brother, Theodore Charles, who died as a five year old after being hit by a school bus. He also has a mother and sister.[12]
Benson has been friends since childhood with MLB player Xzavion Curry.[12]
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