Joe Benge
Joseph Benge, 44, is entering his fifth season as head Major League Athletic Trainer with the Tampa Bay Rays. Prior to his promotion to head athletic trainer, he spent seven season in the Rays organization, including six (2012-17) as minor league medical coordinator, overseeing all minor league athletic trainers and rehabilitation with minor league players while assisting the major league club. He was named 2015 Minor League Athletic Trainer of the Year by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society (PBATS) and served as the athletic trainer for the World Team at the Futures Game in San Diego in 2016. Joe joined the Rays organization in 2011 as the athletic trainer for Triple-A Durham, following 10 seasons (2001-2010) as an athletic trainer in the Baltimore Orioles system. In total, Joe has served as an athletic trainer for teams in Bluefield, WV; Aberdeen, MD; Salisbury, MD; and Bowie, MD reaching Double-A Bowie in his final seasons with Baltimore. Joe has also spent time in winter ball assignment in La Romana, Dominican Republic (2001-2002, 2002-2003) as well as Honolulu, HI (Honolulu Sharks) in 2007. Prior to that he graduated from Loyola (MD) University with a B.S. in biology in 1999, and received his master’s degree in kinesiology from Fresno Pacific University in 2010. He resides in Sarasota, FL and has a daughter Isla, age 11.
Mike Sandoval
Mike Sandoval begins his fifth season on the Major League athletic training staff for the Rays as assistant athletic trainer after six seasons (2012-2017) as an athletic trainer with the Triple-A Durham Bulls. This year will be his 36th season in professional baseball, including 36 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. From 2001-11, he was the Pirates assistant athletic trainer and major league rehab coordinator. He began his professional career in 1987 as athletic trainer for the Watertown Pirates of the New York-Penn League. He has also worked with Rookie-level Princeton (1988), Class-A Salem (1989), Double-A Harrisburg (1990), Double-A Carolina (1991, 1997-98), Triple-A Buffalo (1992-94), Triple-A Calgary (1995) and Double-A Altoona (1999-2000). Mike graduated from New Mexico State University in 1988 with a degree in physical education and sports medicine. He and his wife, Dodie, have a son, Michael Jr.
Aaron Scott
Scott, 43, was named assistant athletic trainer for the major league staff in November 2021 and begins his sixth season with the Rays. He spent the previous four years as the minor league medical coordinator, overseeing all minor league athletic trainers and rehabilitation with minor league players while assisting the major league club. Prior to that, he spent one season as athletic trainer for Class-A Charlotte. He previously worked in the Philadelphia Phillies (2015-16) and Baltimore Orioles (2004-14) organizations. Scott was named the 2009 South Atlantic League Trainer of the Year while working for the Delmarva Shorebirds (Orioles). He received his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Northern Iowa, then completed two internships with the NFL’s Detroit Lions and was the assistant athletic trainer for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe in 2003 prior to joining the Orioles. Scott resides in Sarasota, FL.