Bruce Benedict

Bruce Edwin Benedict (born August 18, 1955) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and scout. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Atlanta Braves from to . He made his major league debut on August 18, 1978, his 23rd birthday. His defensive skills earned him a spot as a reserve on the National League All-Star team.

In 1982, Benedict led National League catchers with a .993 fielding percentage, as the Braves won the National League Western Division title. The highlight of Benedict's season came in a regular season game when he set an MLB record by throwing out 3 baserunners in one inning. In the only post-season appearance of his career, the Braves lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1982 National League Championship Series.

In 1983, Benedict had a batting average well over .300 in the middle of June, to earn a place as a reserve player for the National League in the 1983 All-Star Game. He ended the season with a career-high batting average of .298 with two home runs, 43 runs batted in and a .992 fielding percentage, second only to Gary Carter among National League catchers.

Benedict's batting average fell to .223 with only 25 RBIs in 1984 and he was replaced by Rick Cerone in 1985, as the Braves sought more offense from the catcher's position. He resigned his position in . He then scouted for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Benedict also serves as a college basketball official in the NCAA's Division I and Division II. He is currently an Atlanta-based scout for the Chicago White Sox and operates the Bruce Benedict Baseball Academy.

Personal life His son, Griffin, played collegiate baseball for the Georgia Southern Eagles and was drafted in 2009. He played in the minor leagues for the San Diego Padres for two seasons. He then accepted a role as the bullpen catcher for the major league team in 2011.