Get To Know Andrew Benintendi, aka 'Benny Baseball,' The Red Sox' Next Big Thing
By Johnny Carey, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Red Sox fans - If you aren't already familiar with the name Andrew Benintendi, it's time to change that.
"Benny Baseball," as he came to be known in college, may only play in high single-A ball Salem today, but it's just a matter of time until he's on the Red Sox major league radar.
Last June, the Red Sox selected the center fielder with the seventh overall pick following an incredible sophomore season at The University of Arkansas. The pick wasn't as publicized as even a Patriots late-round pick would be, simply because the MLB Draft doesn't have nearly the same instant impact as the NFL Draft. For every Bryce Harper or Manny Machado who immediately stars in the major leagues, there are dozens of top picks who need three to five years in the minors to grow.
If the past 11 months are any indication, Benny Baseball doesn't look like he'll need that long.
At Arkansas, he was named the SEC player of the year, the Golden Spikes Award winner, as well as the Dick Howser Trophy (the Heisman Trophy of college baseball). If those accomplishments aren't already impressive enough, Benintendi was selected for each award over last year's first overall pick, Dansby Swanson.
But it's what he's done in the minors that has the Red Sox organization particularly excited.
To put it lightly, Benintendi is off to a ridiculous start this season for Salem.
In 25 games, he's hitting .376 with a 1.088 OPS, 25 RBI, 23 runs scored, 11 doubles, and an unbelievable 7 triples. That's good for the second highest average, second most RBI, second most doubles, third most runs, and by far the most triples in the Carolina League. He also has the fewest strikeouts in the league (7).
In 2015, only four players had more than 7 triples throughout an entire season in the Carolina League, while only one player had more than 9. Benny Baseball has 7 in 25 games.
To top it off, he's currently riding a 21-game hitting streak, and has a hit in 23 of 25 games played this year.
SoxProspects.com has Benintendi listed as the organization's number two prospect, behind Salem teammate Yoan Moncada (who's also off to a great start). He was named the "Player of the Month" by SoxProspects, who have been very impressed with his ability to make consistent contact. According to Soxprospects.com, "Benintendi went 10 games and 48 swings without a swing-and-miss. That efficiency helped him strike out a Carolina League-low six times (in April)."
Still, for as electric as he's been at the plate, Benintendi has been just as effective in the field.
I'm not sure who takes the time to collect defensive range stats for single-A baseball players, but bless them.
Just as a reference in case you don't pay attention to outfielder's advanced range stats (I can't say I do either), Lorenzo Cain led the major leagues last season in range factor per game at 2.90. Benintendi has a 3.05 range factor so far this year.
So what is there to take out of that? Well, the 21-year-old has all the tools (elite ball-tracking skills and well-above average speed) to be a very good defender in the major leagues.
It only took him 35 games at low-A Lowell to move up to Greenville, and only another 19 to move up to high-A Salem. Now, it's looking like it might not take him much longer to move up and out of A-ball completely. His quick ascension through the minors feels reminiscent of the rise of Mookie Betts in 2013-2014, when the then-second baseman took A, high-A, AA, and AAA all by storm in under 15 months.
Obviously, the Red Sox have had high hopes for Benintendi from the beginning considering his draft status, but what he's done so far has been even more than expected.
Benny Baseball may not be universally known right now, but it seems inevitable that he'll be a household name soon enough.
Take a look at some highlights of Benintendi at Arkansas, and join my petition to move this guy up the ladder.
Johnny Carey is a senior at Boston College. You can find him on Twitter@JohnnyCarey94.
