20 Under 25 Rankings: #4 – Andrew Benintendi

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TURNS 25: JULY 6, 2019
FINAL RATING: 7.8

He’s only played in 34 games with the big-league club, but Andrew Benintendi’s talent impressed everyone in 2016.

Power isn’t a major part of his game at the moment, but it wasn’t for Mookie Betts at age 22, either. In every other regard Boston’s new left fielder showed a consistent bat throughout his first campaign, hitting .295 with a .359 on-base percentage. He flashed some serious leather, too, robbing the Rays' Scott Souza Jr.of a home run as he nearly flipped over the left-field wall at Tropicana Field.

Benintendi also handled some adversity, coming back from a sprained left knee. He dealt with it quickly and picked up where he left off. 

And the mistakes the rookie made in 2016 -- losing a ball in the lights against the Yankees and letting Indians’ catcher Roberto Perez tag from first on a casual fly ball during the ALDS -- were more growing pains than anything else.

Benintendi still has to show he can maintain this play over a full season, but all signs show he’s up for the task.

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