"We were able to select two potential impact players on the first day of the draft that were high on our board," said Vice President, Amateur Scouting Kris Gross. "Benge is a supremely athletic player who can do nearly everything on the baseball field. Santucci, a left-handed starter, has several weapons including a mid-90s fastball and a power slider. We are thrilled that both players were available for us."
Benge, who recently completed his sophomore year at Oklahoma State University, hit .335/.444/.665 with 18 home runs and 64 RBI in 61 games. The 6-1 outfielder was a finalist for the 2024 Dick Howser Trophy as well as the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. He was named a 2023 Freshman All American and was a two-time First Team All Big 12 selection (2023 and 2024). On the mound, the right-hander posted a 3.16 ERA with 11 walks and 44 strikeouts in 2024. The native of Yukon, OK attended Yukon High School and as senior went 8-1 with 124 strikeouts and hit .490 to lead his team to the Class 6A State Tournament.
Santucci, a left-handed starter from Leominster, MA, recently completed his junior season at Duke University. In 2024, he was named an All-ACC First Team Starting Pitcher as well as to the Golden Spikes Midseason Watch List. The 6-2, 205-pounder posted a 6-1 record with a 3.31 ERA, striking out 90 batters and holding opponents to a .188 batting average in 2024.
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