The Boston Red Sox selected outfielder Andrew Benintendi on Monday with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Benintendi, a center fielder out of the University of Arkansas, is a left-handed hitter who skyrocketed up draft boards in recent months. The draft-eligible sophomore turns 21 in July.
Benintendi was named the SEC Player of the Year this season after hitting .390 with 18 home runs and 22 stolen bases for the Razorbacks. He was named Collegiate Baseball’s National Player of the Year.
Benintendi, a Cincinnati native, is known for having a smooth swing, some power and plus speed. He doesn’t have the track record of some other college position players in the draft, but he definitely has intriguing tools and plenty of upside.
MLB.com recently gave the following grades to Benintendi on the 20-80 scouting scale:
Hit: 60 (above average)
Power: 50 (average)
Run: 60 (above average)
Arm: 50 (average)
Field: 60 (above average)
Overall: 55 (average/above average)
MLB.com’s player comparison for Benintendi is “Jon Jay with more power and a little more speed.”
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@NCAACWS
