American League Rookie of the Year award: Benintendi seems unbeatable

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Mar 30, 2017

Tom Verducci

Andrew Benintendi, OF, Boston Red Sox

As the No. 1 prospect in baseball and someone who hit .295 in a 34-game exposure to the majors last year, he's an obvious pick. His swing and approach are special, though, and he'll be the first Red Sox player to win the award since Dustin Pedroia in 2007.

Ben Reiter

Andrew Benintendi, OF, Boston Red Sox

Benintendi’s bad luck late last summer—he sprained his left knee on the base paths in August—means that he is still eligible for this award, and with a full season as Boston's No. 2 hitter ahead of him, it will be the other would-be contenders who will be out of luck this season.

Albert Chen

Yoan Moncada, IF, Chicago White Sox

Moncada will start the season by devouring Triple A pitching (and, apparently, Twinkies), but once he's up for the rebuilding White Sox, the world will quickly see why the comparisons to Robinson Cao are not unfair.

Jack Dickey

Andrew Benintendi, OF, Boston Red Sox

He’s hit everywhere he’s been, including a .312 average in two minor league seasons and a 117 OPS+ in his stint last season with the big club. This season should be no exception.

Jay Jaffe

Andrew Benintendi, OF, Boston Red Sox

Like Seager last year, the game's consensus No. 1 prospect not only has a starting job awaiting him, but he's also already acquitted himself well at the major league level for a contending team. The latest of Boston's version of the Killer B's should have no trouble fitting in alongside Jackie Bradley Jr., Betts and Xander Bogaerts.

Ted Keith

Andrew Benintendi, OF, Boston Red Sox

It will be a bigger story if he doesn't win the award than if he does.

Emma Span

Andrew Benintendi, OF, Boston Red Sox

Benintendi only got 105 big-league at-bats last season, but he looked so comfortable in the majors, where he hit .295/.359/.476, that he hardly even feels like a rookie anymore. The consensus No. 1 prospect in the game for good reason, he seems poised to expand on that breakout in 2017.

Jon Tayler

Andrew Benintendi, OF, Boston Red Sox

Benintendi offers a little bit of everything: offense, defense and speed on the bases. That combination should be enough to make him Boston’s first Rookie of the Year since Dustin Pedroia in 2007.