Andrew Benintendi won some hardware Friday.
Benintendi, who was drafted seventh overall by the Boston Red Sox earlier this week, was named the 2015 recipient of the Dick Howser Trophy, awarded annually to the best player in college baseball.
The Arkansas outfielder led the SEC in batting average (.380), home runs (19), on-base percentage (.489), slugging percentage (.715) and walks (47). He homered Saturday in the Razorbacks’ College World Series loss to Virginia.
Benintendi, who turns 21 next month, was a draft-eligible sophomore whose stock soared significantly in recent weeks. He’s been on the Red Sox’s radar since high school, however, and Boston was enamored enough with his tools and upside to draft him Monday with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Winning the Dick Howser Trophy is a good sign for Benintendi, as several notable players have won the prestigious award in previous years. Kris Bryant, Anthony Rendon, Stephen Strasburg, Buster Posey, David Price, Alex Gordon, Jered Weaver and Mark Teixeira are among the active stars with the award on their resumes. Former big league All-Stars Jason Varitek and Todd Helton won the award, too.
Benintendi also was named Baseball America’s College Player of the Year this week.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@BaseballAmerica
