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Baseball Gods Have Answered, Red Sox Call Up Benintendi

By Adam Nazzaro

Jun 13, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks outfielder Andrew Benintendi (16) hits a sacrifice RBI against the Virginia Cavaliers in the third inning in the 2015 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks outfielder Andrew Benintendi (16) hits a sacrifice RBI against the Virginia Cavaliers in the third inning in the 2015 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /
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Red Sox top prospect Andrew Benintendi gets his chance in the Major Leagues.

In last year’s 2015 MLB Draft, the Boston Red Sox selected a player who was potentially “slept on” for the amount he produced while in college. With the seventh overall pick, the Red Sox selected OF Andrew Benintendi.

Benintendi led the SouthEastern Conference in batting average (.380), home runs (19), on-base percentage (.489), slugging (.715) and walks (47). He was named the SEC Player of the Year He also won the Baseball America College Player of the Year, Dick Howser Trophy, along with the Golden Spikes Award. Following last night’s 2-1 victory for the Red Sox over Seattle, Benintendi got the call of a lifetime, he is getting the call to the show.

Benintendi, 22, is batting .312 with 31 doubles, 12 triples, nine home runs and a .910 OPS in 97 games between two minor league levels this season. He was promoted to Double-A on May 15, and after a slow start, he’s 54-for-159 with 14 doubles, four triples, eight homers, 19 walks, only 17 strikeouts and a 1.037 OPS in his past 43 games. Himself along with 2B Yoan Moncada are the top two prospects in the organization.

After refusing to include Benintendi in any deals before the trade deadline, the Red Sox plan to call up their 2015 first-round draft pick and top outfield prospect from Double-A Portland on Tuesday to join their road trip in Seattle, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski confirmed to ESPN late Monday night. With Benintendi raking at Double-A Portland and the Red Sox in the need for another bat in left field to improve upon other choices such as Brock Holt and Bryce Brentz.

The Red Sox have been looking for someone to hold down left field all year, and with the inconsistencies of Holt, Brentz, Blake Swihart and the injury to Chris Young, Benintendi could be exactly who they need. When you look at recent pasts, Benintendi is a prodigy beyond the Red Sox’ grasp at age 22.

Mookie Betts was 21 years old when he hit .291 over 52 games with the team in 2014. Blake Swihart was 23 when the Red Sox rushed him to the big leagues and watched him hit .274 after some early adjustment struggles. Bradley was 24 when he played in 127 games in 2014, hitting only  .198, but flashing a Gold Glove-level defense in center field, and now look at him.

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Xander Bogaerts took over third base in 2013 for a team in a pennant chase and hit .250 before hitting .412 in the playoffs, en route to a World Series title, after only playing 60 games in  Triple A.

This trend should just tell Red Sox Nation that the youth of this organization is crazy good, and the move by Dombrowski won’t be his last.

“He’s a well-rounded player,” Dombrowski said. “He’s a good defensive player, he runs the bases well, he has a good arm, we’ve been working him out at left field and he’s been able to play the wall well in Portland there … So it really came down to we think he can come up here and contribute to the club and help us win. And that’s important at this time. Now, he has a strong personality, he has a quality work ethic, good makeup. If he goes through an adjustment period, which could happen, we think he can handle that.”

This could eventually become Dombrowski’s best move yet since becoming GM here in Boston. This move in my eyes brings many similarities to when they called up Bogaerts in 2013, it was a quick, bold move and it paid off as he got a lot of action in postseason play.

For Benintendi, he must shake the butterflies off early because the Red Sox need an important piece in left field to help propel this team through this divisional race. I like Holt he’s an absolute grinder, but shouldn’t be an everyday outfielder here in Boston. Brentz same thing, he has mostly been a minor leaguer for his professional career and there is a reason that is.

If Benintendi comes in and hits enough to keep the bottom of the lineup going, and plays steller defense then I don’t see why he couldn’t be with the big club for the rest of the year. This will definitely be a great experiment to see where Benintendi’s sealing is at, but I full-out expect production from this guy because he’s seen it all before and the left field job is their for the taking.

Next: Red Sox Acquire LHP Fernando Abad

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