Article: Twins Draft Preview: Andrew Benintendi

[Jeremy Nygaard]

If you’re a casual follower of the draft, there is a pretty good chance that you’ve heard the big names, but the name Andrew Benintendi doesn’t ring a bell. Heck, some people that follow the draft pretty closely are only starting to learn about him.

 

But it’s time to take note. This guy is for real.Who is this guy?

 

The 5-10, 180-pound lefty/lefty Arkansas outfielder is an interesting story. He started 60 of the team’s 61 games last year and put up only OK stats for a college freshman. He was certainly on teams’ draft radars - he was drafted by the Reds out of high school in the 31st round - but so are thousands of other kids. Things started to change this spring when he got off to a blistering start and scouts realized that his early July birthday made him the rare draft-eligible true sophomore. They checked him out and even as recently as one month ago Benintendi still wasn’t knocking down draft doors. Could go in the 2nd round? Not exactly compelling for a team drafting at #6.

 

But after that hot start, he has yet to slow down. Hitting only one home run all of last year, Benintendi is now tied for third in the nation with 18. His .391 batting average (14th), .492 on-base percentage (9th), .738 slugging percentage (3rd) all rank among the best in all of Division 1 baseball. And he happens to be getting it done in the best conference of them all (while striking out in only around 10% of his at-bats). He was recently named SEC’s Player of the Year.

 

Why the Twins will pick him

 

Benintendi checks almost all the boxes. Before this year, he was known for his plus athleticism, his ability to steal bases - on the clock he was scoring plus run-times - and for his ability to play a plus defense in center field. That alone isn’t going to get anyone drafted on the first day.

 

This year he’s added serious strength (which is showing up as usable game-power) and Baseball America recently called him one of the best three “pure hitters” in college baseball. While his arm keeps him from being a true “five-tool” player, he is as close as you can come. During a recent conversation with Seth Stohs, the guru of all things Twins, he made the comment that Benintendi sounds “a lot like Byron Buxton”. It’s because he does and that type of ability gets you drafted really high.

 

Why the Twins will not pick him

 

The Rockies are rumored to be interested in Benintendi with the third overall choice. Obviously that would be a reason the for the Twins not to take him. The universal knocks on Benintendi are, quite literally, the only things he can’t control: He’s not the prototypical outfielder in that, he’s small. The other knock is that he doesn’t have a long track-record of success. After his ho-hum initial season at Arkansas, he didn’t play any summer ball. This success that he’s having is nearing 60 games, but for some teams that’s just not enough.

 

The Twins currently have an abundance of outfield talent: Arcia, Rosario and Hicks are all on the big-league roster. Buxton, Kepler, Walker and Harrison are in Chattanooga. And that doesn’t include the guys further away (in A-ball or lower) or the fact that both Trevor Plouffe and Miguel Sano are going to, eventually, both need a spot in the lineup and a popular rumor is moving one of them to the already-crowded outfield.

 

But Benintendi is special and he could very easily be the Best Player Available at the sixth pick.

 

If he’s still available.

 

Not bad for a guy who many said “Who?” about merely a few weeks ago.

 

 

 

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Check out the other profiles:

The Big Three (Swanson, Rodgers, Tate)

Walker Buehler

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[AlwaysinModeration]

A college bat that has only come up big for 60 games. Doesn't seem like a Twins pick, or enough of a track record for me. Sure, he outplayed other hitters in his conference, but again, short sample size.

 

This gets back to my general comment about the draft. How can there be so

much volatility? Prospects and even big leaguers can have entire years that suck and are basically written off because the true talent level comes to the fore eventually.

 

Why in the month lead-up to the draft is there "helium"? Can't a bigger picture be divined for these guys?

[AlwaysinModeration]

Meant that those off years are written off, not the players.

[SarasotaBill]

Benintendi was the Ohio HS Player of the Year two years ago. So he does have a track record.

 

If you watch him play, you want him on your team.

 

He reminds me of Jacoby Ellsbury.

 

If the Twins could strike an under slot deal with him, I would be on board.

 

 

[Boone]

Got to love his plate discipline: strikes out in 9% of his at bats as a freshman and a 6/5 BB/K ratio and strikes out in 14% of his at bats as a sophomore with a 4/3 BB/K ratio.  Combine that with his speed, and it seems like he should have a very good chance of being a successful top of the order guy.

 

The real question comes down to defense and power.  If he can stick in CF, he has the potential to be a solid starter.  But if his power plays (even just 20 HRs), he has star potential.

[HitInAPinch]

Question:  Do college teams still use aluminum bats?

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Question:  Do college teams still use aluminum bats?

Yes.

[Tibs]

Question: Do college teams still use aluminum bats?

Yes, but with the new bats they have been using the last couple years there isn't a huge difference between them and wood bats.

[Seth Stohs]

Yeah, you still get the 'ping' but it's not the same as it used to. They're composites.

[markos]

 

Got to love his plate discipline: strikes out in 9% of his at bats as a freshman and a 6/5 BB/K ratio and strikes out in 14% of his at bats as a sophomore with a 4/3 BB/K ratio.  Combine that with his speed, and it seems like he should have a very good chance of being a successful top of the order guy.

 

The real question comes down to defense and power.  If he can stick in CF, he has the potential to be a solid starter.  But if his power plays (even just 20 HRs), he has star potential.

I agree that defense is the real key here. If he is a legitimate plus defender in CF, then he has a strong case for BPA at #6. If he serviceable at best - and most likely will move to a corner - then pass. I haven't seen him play, so I can't judge one way or another.

[Willihammer]

He is also the all time hit leader in Ohio prep baseball.

 

I normally put more weight into stats than scouting but I think they might oversell Benintendi's ability here. Particularly his power. At least one HR is an inside the parker. And just looking at some youtubes, a lot of the ones that cleared the fence were wall scrapers. Combined with the composite bat and the fact that he has to pull to get anything over the fence and I doubt his power will translate that well against better competition, wooden bats, etc.

[Mike Sixel]

Just reading this, and nothing else, he sounds more like Revere than Buxton to me......

[MplsFan]

Just reading this, and nothing else, he sounds more like Revere than Buxton to me......

 

Agreed. That's who he sounds like to me too. I like what Revere brings to a team, but I'd like to aim higher from 6 overall.

[Seth Stohs]

I'd have to leave that to Jeremy to say what the comp is... I hope people realize how few "Byron Buxtons" there are, and that even at six, you're most likely not going to find one. 

 

If his downside is Revere, that's a pretty good guy to take... in the late first or 2nd round, but you're right, not at 6. I seem to think he has a bit more power than that though.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I'd have to leave that to Jeremy to say what the comp is... I hope people realize how few "Byron Buxtons" there are, and that even at six, you're most likely not going to find one. 

 

If his downside is Revere, that's a pretty good guy to take... in the late first or 2nd round, but you're right, not at 6. I seem to think he has a bit more power than that though.

 

No one's downside is MLB CF.....but I get your point. Like I said, what I know, I read here.

[Seth Stohs]

 

No one's downside is MLB CF.....but I get your point. Like I said, what I know, I read here.

 

Yeah, I didn't phrase that well... my point was just that if it's a guy that can be Ben Revere, it's a good pick later in the round, not at 6. Just from talking to Jeremy, I do think his upside is higher by quite a bit. 

[Hrbowski]

I'm not that high on Benintendi. I think he will go in the top ten, but I prefer others that will be on the board.

[twinsfanstreif]

This has to be the weirdest draft ever. When was the last time that this many relative unknowns have risen this late. Also I can't ever remember a college relief pitcher with the belief that he can start ever in consideration to go top 5 much less #1 overall (Jay). I'm fairly in tune when it comes to draft prospects and most years I usually know players up until the 3rd round at times but I had never heard of this guy until recently and he's in consideration for the #3 pick?! Crazy!

[HitInAPinch]

 

Question:  Do college teams still use aluminum bats?

 

Thanks for the responses.  The reason I asked was because I was looking for a reason for the sharp jump in his hitting stats.

 

Composite bat, huh?  Crime against nature, says I.....

[Mike Sixel]

 

Thanks for the responses.  The reason I asked was because I was looking for a reason for the sharp jump in his hitting stats.

 

Composite bat, huh?  Crime against nature, says I.....

 

Much better than aluminum, and no college is going to invest in wooden bats, waaaaaaay too much money.