Major League Career
Benedict attended college at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 5th round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his major league debut on August 18, 1978, his 23rd birthday.
Benedict led National League catchers in 1981 with 73 assists and 48 baserunners caught stealing. His defensive skills earned him a spot as a reserve on the 1981 National League All-Star team.
In 1982, Benedict led National League catchers with a .993 fielding percentage, as the Braves won the National League Western Division title. The highlight of Benedict's season came in a regular season game when he set an MLB record by throwing out 3 baserunners in one inning. In his only post-season appearance, the Braves lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1982 National League Championship Series.
In 1983, Benedict had a batting average well over .300 in the middle of June, to earn a place as a reserve player for the National League in the 1983 All-Star Game. He ended the season with a career-high batting average of .298 with two home runs, 43 runs batted in and a .992 fielding percentage, second only to Gary Carter among National League catchers.
Benedict's batting average fell to .223 with only 25 RBIs in 1984 and, he was replaced by Rick Cerone in 1985, as the Braves sought more offense from the catcher's position. He continued to work as a back up catcher to Ozzie Virgil from 1986 to 1988 and then to Jody Davis in 1989. He retired after the 1989 season having spent his entire career with the Braves.
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