Benintendi Gets Major League Call From Red Sox
BOSTON – Just a mere 14 months removed from his trip to the College World Series with the Razorbacks and winning every college national player of the year award, outfielder Andrew Benintendi has arrived in Major League Baseball.
Benintendi completed his meteoric rise through the minor leagues this week as the Boston Red Sox called him up from Double-A Portland, bypassing Triple-A.
The former Razorback has generated a lot of buzz around the Red Sox organization this year since starting in Single-A Salem after spring training. He’ll be the 10th former Razorback to appear on an MLB roster this season following the likes of Brett Eibner and Matt Reynolds, who were the most recent Hogs to make their MLB debuts.
Making the jump from Double-A to the majors isn’t an uncommon occurrence in the MLB. However, the time between draft day and MLB debut for Benintendi puts him in good company with the Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber and Mets’ Michael Conforto as recent examples of players to make it to the major leagues one year after being drafted.
Benintendi plans to become the 55th former Razorback all-time to make an appearance in an MLB game and is the fastest Razorback to get to the majors from draft day.
The Cincinnati native hopes his performance is as impactful as Schwarber’s or Conforto’s. Based on what he’s been able to do since being promoted to Double-A, he looks primed to adjust well.
In 63 games with the Portland Sea Dogs, Benintendi is hitting .295 with 8 home runs and 44 RBIs. Combined with Single-A Salem, the outfielder is hitting at a .312 average with 76 RBIs and 52 extra-base hits, which had him on the short list for Minor League Player of the Year.
Last month, Benintendi played in the MLB Futures Game, which preceded the MLB All-Star Game in San Diego.
Benintendi has been rated as the Red Sox No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline since his promotion to Double-A and was drafted seventh overall by Boston in the 2015 MLB Draft, the third-highest draft position for any Razorback player.
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