Baseball names Mike Benjamin volunteer assistant coach

Arizona State University baseball has named former Sun Devil baseball player Mike Benjamin as an assistant coach, head coach Tim Esmay announced today. Benjamin played two seasons at Arizona State before moving on to a career in the Major Leagues.

Benjamin joins Travis Jewett and Ken Knutson on Esmay's coaching staff for the 2010 season.

"We are very excited for Mike Benjamin to come back and once again be a part of the ASU baseball program," Esmay said. "Mike was a student-athlete at Arizona State, went on to have a successful pro career, and now he is looking forward to returning to ASU and help continue the winning tradition."

Benjamin played shortstop for the Sun Devils in 1986 and 1987, earning First Team All-American and First Team All-Pac-10 honors in 1987. He hit .315 in his ASU career, including .327 with 18 homers and 55 RBI during the '87 season. Benjamin also stole 30 bases, helping lead the Sun Devils to Omaha and the College World Series that year. He was a third round pick of the San Francisco Giants in the 1987 MLB Draft, playing 13 seasons in the majors. He played with the Giants for seven years before playing with the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Esmay and Benjamin were teammates at Arizona State during the 1986 season, followed by Esmay joining head coach Jim Brock's staff as an assistant during Benjamin's final season with ASU in 1987.