Van Benschoten gets big league call
In four Triple-A starts this season, Van Benschoten posted a 4-0 record, 1.88 ERA, 17 strikeouts and .152 opponents' batting average. His win total tied for first in the International League and his ERA ranked 10th.
Van Benschoten was named the Tribe's 2007 Right-Handed Pitcher of the Year after turning in a 10-7 record and 2.56 ERA in 19 Triple-A starts. He earned IL Pitcher of the Week accolades on two occasions -- May 7-13 and Aug. 6-12.
Van Benschoten, who has two years and 79 days of Major League service time, pitched in 17 games for the Pirates between the 2004 and 2007 campaigns. He owns a 1-10 record and 8.78 ERA in 67.2 big league innings.
The 28-year-old was tabbed by Baseball America as Pittsburgh's No. 1 prospect in 2003 and 2004, No. 3 prospect in 2005 and No. 8 prospect in 2006.
Originally a position player, Van Benschoten earned Mid-American Conference Player of the Year honors in 2001 after leading the nation with 31 homers as a junior at Kent State University. He was taken by the Pirates in the first round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft.
Right-hander Brian Rogers, who was 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA in seven relief appearances for Double-A Altoona this season, has been promoted to fill Van Benschoten's Triple-A roster spot.
The 25-year-old posted a 2-1 record and 3.05 ERA in 48 relief appearances for Indianapolis in 2007.
Rogers went 1-1 with a 1.08 ERA in seven relief outings for the Indians in 2006 after being acquired from Detroit in a trade that sent 1B Sean Casey to the Tigers.