Luis Benitez saw three pro seasons, was part of big trade

The deal was a big one, with nine players switching teams between the Cubs and the Rangers.

It was also a deal the Cubs received much flak for, sending Jamie Moyer and Rafeal Palmeiro to the Rangers.

"I don`t hear nothing about that trade now," Cubs manager Don Zimmer told The Chicago Tribune after Paul Kilgus and Mitch Williams, two players the Cubs received back, pitched well in an April 1989 game. "For four months, that's all I heard about. Now I don't hear nothing."

Another player in that deal, Luis Benitez, Zimmer and others never did hear much about. That's because Benitez lasted parts of just two seasons with the Cubs organization, three as a pro, never making it higher than single-A.

Benitez' pro career began in 1988, signed by the Rangers as an undrafted free agent out of his native Puerto Rico.

He played his first season in the rookie Gulf Coast League, the infielder getting into 63 games, hitting .286.

With the Cubs, though, Benitez never found his bat. In 93 games in 1989, spent between short-season Geneva and single-A Charleston, Benitez' average stumbled to just .177. He hit .183 in 58 games at Geneva and .167 in 35 games at Charleston.

Benitez returned to Geneva for 1990, but it was a brief return. He got into just two contests, six at bats. He also got only one hit. It was the final hit of his professional career.

• Chicago Tribune, April 26, 1989: Trade Just Fine For Both Cubs, Rangers

More: The 1990 Geneva Cubs

1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:1,101
Made the Majors: 659 - 59.9%
Never Made Majors: 442-40.1%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 287
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 170

More 1990 Minor Leaguers:

 - Frank Bellino liked to play every day, saw 8 pro seasons, 9/19/14
 - Esteban Beltre showed pop in practice, saw five ML seasons, 7/1/12
 - Freddie Benavides saw 4 ML seasons, then coached, managed, 8/3/17

 - Bill Bene proved inconsistent before 1st-round pick, after, 3/12/22

 - Andy Benes made the Olympics, then bigs over 14 seasons, 11/18/20

 - Christian Benitez saw 2 pro seasons, maxed out at Wausau, 2/29/16
 - Luis Benitez saw three pro seasons, was part of big trade, 4/29/13

 - Mike Benjamin saw 13 ML seasons, hit well in one stretch, 5/19/11
 - Chris Bennett saw 11 pro seasons, made AAA, winter roster, 4/16/14

 - Erik Bennett made bigs with Angels, Twins, then coached, 9/4/22