Richie Benes begins his first season under Danny Ramirez as baseball assistant coach at Saint Peter's in 2018-19.

Benes comes to Saint Peter's with almost two decades of experience in professional baseball. He began his coaching career as a private trainer in the Westchester, NY area. He spent three seasons as the hitting coach for NJCAA DI Monroe College, in New Rochelle, NY before joining the NCAA DII ranks at Bridgeport in 2015 as the hitting coach. Benes also spent four summers as the hitting coach for the Danbury Westerners in the New England Collegiate Baseball league (NECBL). 
 
Drafted out of high school in the 23rd round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft as a shortstop, Benes spent three years in the Kansas City Royals organization. After signing as a free agent in the independent league in 1999, he spent a decade playing professional baseball, including international play.
 
Benes cites Washington Nationals Hitting Coach Kevin Long and Miami Marlins strength and conditioning coordinator Kevin Barr among his most prominent baseball influences.