Andrew Benintendi -- Prospect Evaluation

Andrew Benintendi, the 2015 College Player of the Year, is being promoted to the majors after establishing himself as one of the most polished hitters in recent draft classes. He ranked ninth on Baseball America's Midseason Top 100 Prospects and finished his Double-A stint with a .312/.392/.540 career average across four minor league levels. His offensive profile is distinguished by elite bat control, with an 11% strikeout rate and 9% walk rate at Portland, combined with above-average power (better than .200 isolated power at every level) and speed that plays both on bases and in the field.

Benintendi will play left field for the Red Sox, joining Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts to form an exceptionally deep outfield. Despite his slight physical frame, he possesses exceptional wrist and hand strength that generate high bat speed and power. The Red Sox expect him to provide an immediate impact comparable to significant trades or free agent acquisitions. Long-term, he projects as a rare offensive talent capable of sustaining near-.300 averages with high on-base percentages, 15-20 home runs annually, and 10 stolen bases per season.

Andrew Benintendi was selected 7th overall in the 2015 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox after an exceptional college career at Arkansas. Originally drafted by Cincinnati in 2013, Benintendi chose college, where he hit .376/.488/.717 with 20 home runs and 24 stolen bases in his draft season against SEC competition. Despite questions about his 5'10" 170-pound frame, Boston selected him highly.

Benintendi's professional debut was swift and impressive. In 2015, he moved from rookie ball to low-A Greenville, combining for a .313/.416/.556 line with 11 home runs and 10 stolen bases across both levels. Including his college season that same calendar year, he achieved 30/30 status with 31 home runs and 34 stolen bases in just 119 combined games. This performance earned him rankings from Baseball America (#15), MLB.com (#25), and Baseball Prospectus (#46) heading into 2016.

In 2016, Benintendi progressed from high-A Salem to AA Portland before being called to Boston in August. Across minor league levels that year, he posted a .312/.378/.532 slash line with 9 home runs, 16 stolen bases, and a balanced 39/39 walk-to-strikeout ratio. His MLB debut saw him hit .295/.359/.476 with 2 home runs. The scouting report notes his unique physical build, including notably large hands and strong forearms, which have enabled his success despite undersized listed measurements.

Andrew Benintendi is a left-handed outfielder from Cincinnati, Ohio, drafted 1st round by Boston in 2015 out of the University of Arkansas. Standing 5-10 with a compact, athletic build, he signed for $3.59 million and made his MLB debut on August 3, 2016. He finished as the 2017 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up and won a World Series championship with Boston in 2018.

In February 2021, Benintendi was traded to Kansas City along with cash as part of a three-team deal in which Boston acquired outfielder Franchy Cordero, pitcher Josh Winckowski, and three prospects. The trade also sent prospect Khalil Lee from Kansas City to the Mets.

Scouting evaluation identifies Benintendi as a future everyday outfielder with occasional All-Star potential. Offensively, he displays quick hands and explosive bat speed with excellent strike zone discipline and a two-handed finish, demonstrating a pull-heavy approach. He projects for future plus power due to compact strength and swing leverage. Defensively, he is an athletic player capable of filling all three outfield positions, with above-average speed and base-stealing instincts, though arm strength is average. The assessment indicates he maxed out physically but possesses average-to-above-average tools across the board. He missed significant time in 2020 with a right rib cage injury that likely affected his performance prior to the IL stint.

Andrew Benintendi is a left-handed outfielder prospect for the Boston Red Sox organization evaluated by Adam McInturff during April 11-13, 2016 while playing for Salem (High A). The 21-year-old prospect stands 5'9" and weighs 180 lbs with an average build featuring chiseled, muscular forearms. Despite not standing out physically on the MLB field, his tools play above his size.

Benintendi displays an advanced hit tool graded at 60, demonstrating impressive shortness to his swing and the ability to alter his approach based on count and situation. He showed capability to take outside pitches the other way and turn on hittable pitches to the pull side. His quick bat features an inside-out path with a mostly level swing-plane, projecting a .270+ batting average outlook. His power tool is graded at 50 (average), with at least average raw power potentially more to the pull side, though his level swing-plane limits the grade slightly below his raw power.

Benintendi's overall future potential is graded at 55 with a low risk factor and an MLB ETA of 2017. His swing mechanics are described as relaxed and simple with a confident, calm demeanor at the plate. He employs a slight knee-bend trigger from a medium-width, straight-on stance that gets him to a fairly wide launch position while maintaining limited hand and head movement before pitch delivery.

Andrew Benintendi has been called up to the Boston Red Sox to join an already talented offensive roster that includes Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts, David Ortiz, Hanley Ramirez, and Jackie Bradley Jr. Though not highly regarded as a draft prospect in 2013, Benintendi committed to the University of Arkansas instead of signing with Cincinnati (31st round pick). After a solid freshman year, he had a breakout 2015 season in the SEC, establishing himself as one of the nation's premier college hitters. The Red Sox selected him 7th overall in the 2016 draft, and he has since dominated professional pitching at every level—Lowell, Greenville, High-A Salem, and Double-A Portland, where he hit .295/.357/.515 before his promotion.

At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Benintendi compensates for his modest size with plus bat speed and excellent swing control. His consistent hand-eye coordination allows him to make hard contact consistently, making his at-bats appear effortless despite his frame.