Joe Benson a surprise candidate for Braves final roster spot

by Steve Painter | Wed, Apr 1st 6:53pm EDT

Benson has been an afterthought for the majority of spring training, having been relegated to the minor league camp early on. But the Braves brought him over to the major league cam as an 'extra' and have been impressed with his defensive skills and hustle. Today he blasted a home run off of Cole Hamels and had another long drive that was caught in right-center. Because of all this, he finds himself in the mix for the final roster spot the Braves have. He would be a backup for CF Eric Young, who is filling in for the injured Melvin Upton. (Mark Bowman)

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