Aiming for the big leagues

While cleaning and packing his apartment in Gresham for the summer, Isaac Benard, a standout sophomore baseball player for the Saints last season, waited patiently to hear his named called during the MLB First Player Draft. But after 15 rounds, the 5 foot-10 inch, 215-pound outfielder and catcher started to give up hope.

“After the Dodgers didn’t draft me during the top 15 rounds… I stopped watching,” said Benard, the son of former MLB outfielder Marvin Benard, who played for the San Francisco Giants from 1995-2003. “I went out there for a workout in Los Angeles in front of all of their guys and then they didn’t draft me.”

So Benard went about his business andcontinued packing until he heard the news from his mother, Allison.

“All of a sudden my mom comes running in excited and said I had just been drafted by the (Tampa Bay) Rays, which is funny since I only worked out for them once. But I was excited to get drafted,” he said.

Benard, 20, was drafted in the 23rd round. While he slipped significantly from where he thought his slot was, the West Richland, Washington, native was nevertheless excited for the chance to pursue professional baseball.

“It’s hard coming from a community college in the Pacific Northwest,” he said. “But I think it was reasonable where I got drafted. Just makes me want to work that much harder. I was surprised, shocked, and happy all at the same time.”

Coming out of Hanford High School, Benard initially committed to the University of Washington. He didn’t score as highly on his SATs as he wanted, however, so the search for a community college became his No. 1 priority.

“I took the SATs eight times and couldn’t get over 1,600, which I needed. I kept getting 1,500,” said Benard. He said it was difficult not being able to play in the Pac-12. “I really wanted to go there. It was my dream school,” he said of Washington. “But then when I was searching for schools I came across Mt. Hood and head coach Donno (Bryan Donohue). He was the best catching coach I met during my search for a CC. It all just seemed like a very good fit.”

This past season Benard mainly played centerfield for the Saints. He helped the team win, with a record of 18-6 in the Southern Region and an overall NWAC league record of 26-19. Benard finished the season batting .296, with four home runs and 28 RBIs.

He said he learned a lot at Mt. Hood. “It really toughened me up mentally. I played in a field (Oslund  Field) that was ankle deep in water, but I played my ass off. The group of guys was awesome,” he said. “We were one big family and did everything together for both years that I was there. We all went through the same grind together.

I wouldn’t second-guess that decision to go to Mt. Hood. It turned out amazing.”

Benard, humble as ever, said he never faced much adversity growing up since his father was a pro player. Now, “I want to someday give my family the luxury I had,” he said. “My dad has done eveything for me. He has been a big-time coach to me and gives me all the inside tips. I learned the whole game from him and couldn’t be more thankful.”

This summer, Benard played in the Rookie Appalachian League for the Princeton Rays (located in Princeton, West Virginia) As a back up outfielder, he hit .255, with three homers and 16 RBIs, in 34 games.

“It’s hard only playing (once) every five or seven days when you’re trying to find a rhythm,” he said. “Again, it’s hard to be the best that you can be when you don’t play every day, like I’ve been used to in the past.”

Some of the top Rays prospects were among his teammates. He  said that only motivates him further since some of these guys were drafted before him. “I was one of the youngest kids on the team,” he said. “Playing around a high draft pick is fun… You compare and compete better than them, and they got bigger contracts. But at the end of the day, we’re teammates and rooting each other on.”

Asked what he learned most from his first season in the Rays system, he said it was adjusting to the skill level. “You don’t have many opportunities, so when you do you have to bust your ass off when you’re in there playing.”

Benard said to watch for his name in the near future in the big leagues, though. “I think I can make it. I have all the confidence in the world that I will go to the top someday,” he said.