Steve Bennett Signs With The New York Mets
5/31/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 31, 2000
SPOKANE, Wash. - After completing one of the best pitching careers in Gonzaga baseball history, Steve Bennett signed a professional baseball contract with the New York Mets. Bennett was drafted last season by the Mets in the 28th round and will start the season with New York's Rookie-level Appalachian League team the Kingsport (Tenn.) Mets. Following a few weeks work, Bennett is expected to move up to Class A baseball with either the Capital City (S.C.) Bombers of the South Atlantic League or the St. Lucie (Fla.) Mets of the Florida State League.
Bennett finished his senior year at Gonzaga being named a first-team All-West Coast Conference selection with a 9-4 record, 3.61 earned run average and 109 strike outs. The native of Helena, MT., finished his career ranking among the top ten at Gonzaga in several categories including third in strike outs with 260, fourth in innings pitched with 306.0 and seventh in wins with 21. Bennett joins former Zag shortstop Bo Hart as the second Gonzaga player drafted in 1999 that has signed a professional contract. Hart is currently playing with the Potomac (Va.) Cannons of the Class-A Carolina League, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Gonzaga now has five players active in the Major and Minor League Baseball Ranks.
Mike Redmond - Florida Marlins
Scott Morgan - Edmonton (AAA for Anaheim)
John Tsoukalas - Shreveport (AA for San Francisco)
Bo Hart - Potomac (A for St. Louis)
Steve Bennett - Kingsport (Rookie for New York Mets)
