Captains of the Week (7/28-8/2/26): Jacob Zibin & Juan Benjamin

EASTLAKE, Ohio – For the week of July 28-Aug. 2, the Lake County Captains are recognizing RHP Jacob Zibin and INF/LF Juan Benjamin as the 18th set of Captains of the Week for the 2026 season for their impressive showings versus the South Bend Cubs.

JACOB ZIBIN, RHP

Zibin earned a pair of wins this past week thanks to two strong starts versus South Bend.

The right-hander logged a 1.64 ERA across 11 combined innings of work, throwing eight strikeouts to just five walks and holding the Cubs to a .109 batting average in his two starts for the Captains.

On Sunday, Aug. 2, the 21-year-old tied a pro career-high with six innings of work. He did not allow a run on just one hit, walking three and striking out two in a rain-shortened 1-0 Captains victory. This marked the second quality start of his pro career, joining his six-inning, six-strikeout performance for the Single-A Hill City Howlers on May 29 versus the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Single-A, Astros).

On Tuesday, July 28, Zibin allowed just two earned runs on three hits across five innings of work in a 7-5 Lake County win, throwing six strikeouts to just two walks.

Since being promoted to the Captains from Single-A Hill City on June 23, Zibin has gone 3-2 with a 3.77 ERA, 37 strikeouts to just 15 walks, and a .214 opposing batting average in 33.2 innings pitched. He tossed an immaculate fourth inning versus the Lansing Lugnuts on Tuesday, July 7, striking out the side in order in just nine pitches (all strikes). This marked Lake County’s first immaculate inning since LHP Juan Hillman on July 14, 2018 at Cedar Rapids (second inning).

Zibin was selected by the Cleveland Guardians in the 10th round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of TNXL Academy (FL), and was the youngest player selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. After undergoing a pair of arm surgeries in 2023 and 2024, the Mile House, British Columbia, Canada native did not make his pro debut until last year with the 2025 Single-A Carolina League Champion Lynchburg Hillcats (now Hill City Howlers). He made 19 starts during the 2025 regular season, going 0-5 with a 3.62 ERA and 44 strikeouts to just 31 walks in 59.2 innings pitched.

Zibin then excelled in his lone start during the 2025 Carolina League Playoffs. The right-hander allowed just one hit in four scoreless innings in Game 1 of the 2025 Carolina League Championship Series versus the Columbia Fireflies (Single-A, Royals), striking out three and walking three in a 3-2 Lynchburg victory (10 innings).

JUAN BENJAMIN, INF/LF

Benjamin had a productive series at the plate versus South Bend this past week.

The 23-year-old batted .294 with five hits, 10 total bases, two doubles, one home run, three RBI, two stolen bases, a .588 slugging percentage, and a .904 OPS in five games played for the Captains.

Benjamin logged his most notable performance on Thursday, July 30. He went 3-for-4 at the plate with a two-run home run and two stolen bases. This marked his second three-hit game of the season, joining his 4-for-4 performance on May 13 for the Double-A Akron RubberDucks versus the Chesapeake Baysox (Double-A, Orioles).

Since being assigned to Lake County from Double-A Akron on July 17, the infielder/left fielder has batted .200 with eight hits, two doubles, one home run, six RBI, and two stolen bases in 11 games for the Captains.

Benjamin was signed by the Cleveland Guardians as an international free agent on July 12, 2019 out of Santiago, Dominican Republic. He spent the entire 2025 season with Lake County, batting .276 with 83 hits, 22 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 42 RBI, 41 walks, and a .750 OPS in 88 regular-season games. The switch-hitter tallied an RBI single in Game 1 of the 2025 Midwest League East Division Championship Series versus West Michigan on Sept. 9, 2025 as well. He also made Captains history on Aug. 13, 2025 versus Peoria, hitting Lake County’s first walk-off grand slam since at least 2005.

After an off day on Monday, Aug. 3, the Captains will begin a six-game road series against the Lansing Lugnuts. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled for Tuesday night, Aug. 4, at 7:05 p.m. from Jackson Field in Lansing, Michigan. The series will be broadcast on the Bally Sports Live App, the MiLB App, and StreamGuys, with social media coverage courtesy of @LCCaptains on X and Instagram.

About the Lake County Captains:

The Lake County Captains are the professional High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians located in Eastlake, Ohio. Our mission is to honor the rich history of our organization, while also introducing baseball to a new generation of fans through innovative means. We are committed to supporting our community, sports teams, and each other by demonstrating passion and having fun every day.