Benj Sampson
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1998-1999)
Benj Sampson was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1998 to 1999 for the Minnesota Twins, a span of 2 seasons. Across 35 career appearances, he went 4-2 with a 6.83 ERA and 72 strikeouts.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 210 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1998-09-09
- Last Game
- 1999-08-19
Full name: Benjamin Damon Sampson
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | MIN | AL | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.1 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 1.56 | 4.43 (+65%) | 838.1 |
| 1999 | MIN | AL | 3 | 2 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71.0 | 107 | 64 | 34 | 56 | 8.11 | 4.71 (-72%) | -2480.3 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 4 | 2 | 35 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88.1 | 117 | 67 | 40 | 72 | 6.83 | — | -1,642 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 |
Career AVG .000 vs. league average .269 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.
Career OBP .000 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.
Career SLG .000 vs. league average .427 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.
Career OPS .000 vs. league average .767 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | MIN | AL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1999 | MIN | AL | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (70 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Away | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 18 | 40.0 | 46 | 31 | 19 | 34 | 6.97 |
| Away | 17 | 48.1 | 71 | 36 | 21 | 38 | 6.70 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-08-19 | MIN | BAL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-08-13 | MIN | NYY | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-08-10 | MIN | TOR | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-08-07 | MIN | KCR | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-08-06 | MIN | KCR | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-08-03 | MIN | TEX | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-07-26 | MIN | OAK | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-07-19 | MIN | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999-07-11 | MIN | PIT | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-07-08 | MIN | CLE | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-08-19 | MIN | BAL | — | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-08-13 | MIN | NYY | — | 2.2 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1999-08-10 | MIN | TOR | — | 0.2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-08-07 | MIN | KCR | — | 2.2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999-08-06 | MIN | KCR | — | 2.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999-08-03 | MIN | TEX | L | 1.0 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-07-26 | MIN | OAK | L | 1.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1999-07-19 | MIN | STL | — | 3.1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1999-07-11 | MIN | PIT | — | 2.1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999-07-08 | MIN | CLE | — | 2.2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 35 |
Salary History
Benj Sampson's recorded salaries total $200,000 over 1 season, in 1999. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Sampson's career ran from 1998 to 1999. No salary is recorded for 1998.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | MIN | AL | $200,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $200,000 | ||
Benj Sampson: the record in brief
The profile opens with Benj Sampson's first major league game on September 9, 1998; the last one listed came on August 19, 1999. All of the seasons listed were played for the Minnesota Twins. Born on April 27, 1975, in Des Moines, IA, USA, Sampson is listed as a pitcher and threw left-handed and batted right-handed. Size on record: 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds. On the record, Benj Sampson was born Benjamin Damon Sampson.
Across 35 games (6 starts), Sampson recorded 4 wins against 2 losses with a 6.83 ERA. Also on Sampson's record: 72 strikeouts. The league ERA over Sampson's seasons was 4.57, so the 6.83 figure ran 49.4% worse than average. In 1999, one of the busiest seasons, Sampson posted a 8.11 ERA; the league figure that year was 4.71.
Sampson appears at one position only: pitcher, in 35 games. Fielding on the mound produced 3 putouts and 5 assists against 0 errors.
Frequently Asked Questions about Benj Sampson
- What years did Benj Sampson play?
- Benj Sampson played in Major League Baseball from 1998 to 1999.
- Was Benj Sampson a pitcher?
- Yes. Benj Sampson pitched in the major leagues, recording 4 wins and 72 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Benj Sampson hit?
- Benj Sampson hit 0 career home runs.
- What teams did Benj Sampson play for?
- Benj Sampson played for one team, the Minnesota Twins (1998–1999).
- What were Benj Sampson's career stats?
- In 35 games, Benj Sampson went 4-2 with a 6.83 ERA, 72 strikeouts, and 88.1 innings pitched.
- How much did Benj Sampson earn in his career?
- Benj Sampson's recorded salaries total $200,000 over 1 season, in 1999. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Sampson's career ran from 1998 to 1999. No salary is recorded for 1998.
- What was Benj Sampson's salary?
- Benj Sampson's recorded salary was $200,000 in 1999.
- What position did Benj Sampson play?
- Benj Sampson played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Benj Sampson and how much did he weigh?
- Benj Sampson was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 210 pounds.
- What was Benj Sampson's career ERA?
- Benj Sampson finished with a 6.83 career ERA, going 4-2 with 72 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Benj Sampson have?
- Benj Sampson recorded 72 career strikeouts.
- Is Benj Sampson in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Benj Sampson has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.