Ben Lively Bio
Edward Bennett Lively, known professionally as Ben Lively, is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Guardians, and also spent time in the KBO League with the Samsung Lions. A right-handed starter, Lively has spent his career bouncing between the majors and the minors while compiling steady numbers across multiple organizations.
Early Life and Background
Ben Lively was born on March 5, 1992, in Pensacola, Florida, to parents Edward and Ginny Lively. He grew up in the Gulf Breeze area and has deep family ties to the sport of baseball. His grandfather, Jim Lively, served as the commissioner of his local Tee-ball league and coached him throughout his childhood, allowing the young Ben to join the league a year early at age four because of his early talent and family connection.
Lively attended Gulf Breeze High School, where he continued to develop as a pitcher and caught the attention of professional scouts. After high school, he was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 26th round of the 2010 MLB Draft, but he chose not to sign and instead enrolled at the University of Central Florida to continue his development on the college stage.
Path to Professional Baseball
At the University of Central Florida, Lively pitched three seasons for the UCF Knights baseball program, compiling an impressive 21–8 record with a 3.06 earned run average and 226 strikeouts across 244 innings of work. Following his sophomore year in 2012, he sharpened his skills in collegiate summer baseball with the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League, one of the most prestigious amateur showcases in the country.
His strong college career made him an attractive draft prospect once again, and the Cincinnati Reds selected Lively in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB Draft. That marked the official beginning of his professional journey and set the stage for years of development across the minor leagues.
Ben Lively Career
Early Career (2013–2016)
Lively made his professional debut with the Billings Mustangs in 2013 and briefly appeared with the Dayton Dragons, finishing his first season with an 0–4 record but an excellent 0.88 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 41 innings. In 2014, he opened the year with the Bakersfield Blaze and was later promoted to the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He earned recognition as the top player in the Reds’ farm system that year after going 13–7 with a 3.04 ERA across both levels.
On December 31, 2014, the Reds traded Lively to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for outfielder Marlon Byrd. He spent 2015 with the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils, posting an 8–7 record and a 4.13 ERA in 25 games, then split 2016 between Reading and the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. His strong 2016 season earned him the Paul Owens Award as the best pitcher in the Phillies’ farm system, and the club added him to its 40-man roster that winter.
Philadelphia Phillies and MLB Debut (2017–2018)
Lively began the 2017 season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley before getting the call to the majors. On June 3, 2017, he made his major league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies against the San Francisco Giants, allowing one run on four hits and three walks while earning his first MLB win. Later that month, on June 24, he collected his first major league RBI with a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks, though he took the loss in that outing. He finished his rookie campaign with a 4–7 record and a 4.26 ERA across 15 appearances.
The 2018 season was more difficult for Lively in Philadelphia. He appeared in only five games, struggled to an 0–2 record and a 6.85 ERA, and was designated for assignment on September 3, 2018, ending his first stint with the Phillies.
Kansas City Royals and Samsung Lions (2018–2021)
On September 5, 2018, Lively was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Royals, who designated Eric Stout for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. He posted a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings for Kansas City that September and began 2019 with the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. On June 20, 2019, Lively was designated for assignment following the promotion of Humberto Arteaga, and he was later traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash considerations on June 22, 2019.
On August 7, 2019, Lively signed with the Samsung Lions of the KBO League in South Korea, leaving the Diamondbacks organization. He went 4–4 with a 3.95 ERA in his first season with Samsung and re-signed for 2020 on a $700,000 contract, posting a 6–7 record and a 4.26 ERA in 21 appearances. In 2021, he made only six appearances before being diagnosed with a shoulder injury and released on June 1, 2021.
Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians (2022–Present)
On January 6, 2022, Lively signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds and spent the entire year with the Triple-A Louisville Bats. He re-signed with the organization after electing free agency and returned to Louisville in 2023, where he posted a 4–0 record and a 2.33 ERA to earn a call-up. He made his first start of 2023 on May 20 against the New York Yankees, allowing two runs on two hits with a career-high eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings. In 19 total appearances and 12 starts for Cincinnati, he finished 4–7 with a 5.38 ERA before being removed from the 40-man roster and electing free agency.
On December 12, 2023, Lively signed a major league contract with the Cleveland Guardians and pitched effectively in 2024, making 29 starts with a 3.81 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 151 innings. He signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal with Cleveland in November 2024 to avoid arbitration, then unexpectedly started on Opening Day in 2025 when planned starter Tanner Bibee was sidelined by acute gastroenteritis. In nine starts for the Guardians in 2025, Lively went 2–2 with a 3.22 ERA, 29 strikeouts, and 44 and two-thirds innings pitched before it was announced on May 23, 2025, that he would undergo Tommy John surgery and a flexor tendon repair, ruling him out for the rest of the season. On November 6, 2025, he was removed from the 40-man roster, sent outright to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, and rejected the assignment to elect free agency.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lively works as a starting pitcher who relies on control, deception, and the ability to keep his team in games rather than overpowering hitters. He has shown particular effectiveness when working with catcher defenses and pitching staffs that emphasize sequencing and pitch location. His professionalism and willingness to compete in both domestic and international leagues have helped him remain a steady presence in professional baseball for more than a decade.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Lively’s signature moments are his MLB debut win against the San Francisco Giants in 2017, his first major league home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks later that June, his Paul Owens Award-winning 2016 season in the Phillies’ system, and his unexpected Opening Day start for the Cleveland Guardians in 2025. His international stint with the Samsung Lions also stands out as a unique chapter in his professional journey.
Ben Lively Career Wins
Ben Lively has accumulated wins across multiple major league stops and during his time in the KBO League with the Samsung Lions. While his major league career has featured more losses than wins at times, he has consistently delivered quality innings and occasional victories in starting roles for the Phillies, Royals, Reds, and Guardians.
Major League Highlights
Lively earned his first major league win in his debut with the Philadelphia Phillies on June 3, 2017, against the San Francisco Giants. He added additional victories during his 2017 rookie campaign and continued to log starts for Cincinnati in 2023, including a strong outing against the New York Yankees on May 20 in which he struck out a career-high eight batters. With Cleveland in 2024, he contributed 29 solid starts, and his two-win stretch early in 2025 was cut short by injury.
Other Wins and Performances
During his KBO League tenure with the Samsung Lions, Lively notched a combined 10 decisions between 2019 and 2020 and was a reliable starter in the Samsung rotation. Earlier in his career, he was a 13-game winner in 2014 between High-A Bakersfield and Double-A Pensacola and produced a 21–8 record across three college seasons at the University of Central Florida.
Ben Lively Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Baseball has been a central part of Ben Lively’s family life from a young age. His grandfather, Jim Lively, coached him throughout his childhood and served as commissioner of his childhood Tee-ball league, while his parents, Edward and Ginny Lively, raised him in the Pensacola, Florida, area.
Personal Life
Lively grew up in the Gulf Breeze area near Pensacola, Florida, and has continued to pursue his professional baseball career across the United States and internationally. Public information about his personal relationships and family life beyond his parents and grandfather is limited.
2025 Season Performance
Lively opened 2025 as an unexpected Opening Day starter for the Cleveland Guardians after scheduled starter Tanner Bibee was sidelined by acute gastroenteritis, allowing three runs on four hits across five innings of work. Through nine starts before his injury, he went 2–2 with a 3.22 ERA, 29 strikeouts, and 44 and two-thirds innings pitched, providing reliable innings for a Cleveland rotation in need of depth.
On May 23, 2025, the Guardians announced that Lively would undergo Tommy John surgery and a flexor tendon repair, ending his season prematurely. He was later removed from Cleveland’s 40-man roster in November and elected free agency, opening the next chapter of his career as he recovers and eyes a return to the major leagues.