Andrew Benintendi
Benintendi will soon break free from his prospect status and ascend to a veteran. This is a big year for him, as his first year in the bigs showed the world what he has to offer. Joining arguably the most talented outfield in baseball, Benintendi needs to continue his success through a full season.
Benintendi has been one of the hitters who have played the most this spring. It naturally makes sense, as the 24 year-old now will be preparing for the long grind of the season. With over 40 at-bats, it is enough of a sample size to draw educated conclusions.
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It is safe to assume that Benintendi, barring injury, should be in line for anywhere from 500-600 at bats. This is roughly 12-15 times larger than the sample size Benintendi currently has. He is currently hitting .302, which is a great sign for his future. If he can keep up the great hitting, Boston’s lineup just got that much better.
With the addition of Benintendi full-time to the roster, it adds another facet of the offense. The lineup will have to undergo some renovations after the retirement of David Ortiz. The prototypical number 2 hitter, Dustin Pedroia, will be leading off the lineup. Batting 3rd is the runner-up of the AL MVP race, Mookie Betts. In between those is Benintendi.
All three of these hitters are extremely talented at hitting for average. For Benintendi, who was the best hitter in college when he was drafted, this is a key to him having a successful career. The sky is the limit for Benintendi, and if he lives up to expectations, he can be a part of one of the most dominant outfields in recent memory.