Benintendi Named E.L. Player of the Week

Portland, Maine - The Eastern League of Professional Baseball Clubs has selected Portland Sea Dogs' outfielder Andrew Benintendi as the Eastern League Player of the Week for the week of July 25th - July 31st, 2016.

The 22-year old batted .478 (11-for-23) with three doubles, one triple, two home runs, 10 RBIs, seven runs scored, one stolen base, two walks and a .957 slugging percentage in six games for the Sea Dogs last week. Benintendi had at least one hit in all six games he played in last week and collected multiple hits in three of those games, including going 4-for-5 with a pair of homers and a career-high five RBIs in an 8-1 win at Binghamton on Sunday. Benintendi led all Eastern League players in batting average (.478) and OPS (1.477) last week and tied for the league lead in runs scored (7), hits (11), total bases (22) and RBIs (10). He also ranked among the weekly leaders in extra-base hits (6-2nd), slugging percentage (.957-2nd), home runs (2-tied 2nd), doubles (3-tied 3rd), on-base percentage (.520-tied 3rd) and triples (1-tied 4th). 

In 63 games with Portland this season, Benintendi is hitting .295 with 18 doubles, five triples, eight home runs, 44 RBI, 24 walks, and eight stolen bases. Benintendi currently leads the Sea Dogs in doubles, runs scored, and RBI, and is tied for the team lead in home runs.

Benintendi has combined to hit .312 in 97 games combined between High-A Salem and Portland this season, his first full year as a professional. He has 31 doubles, 12 triples, 9 home runs, 76 RBI, 16 stolen bases, 70 runs scored, and 39 walks compared to 39 strikeouts. He is tied for the most triples among all minor league baseball players and leads all Red Sox farmhands in RBI.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Benintendi was selected by the Red Sox in the first round (seventh overall) of the 2015 June Draft out of the University of Arkansas. He is ranked by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in the Red Sox organization and the No. 9 prospect in all of baseball in their 2016 midseason top prospect list.

This marks the third time in Benintendi's career that he has received Player of the Week honors. He previously won the award in the New York-Penn league with Short-Season Lowell for the week of 8/10-8/17/15 and earlier this season in the Carolina League with Salem for the week of 4/25-5/1/16.

Benintendi is the third Sea Dog to earn Eastern League weekly honors this year, joining Keith Couch (7/4-7/10) and Aaron Wilkerson (4/7-4/17), who earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors.

The Sea Dogs begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday, August 2nd, at Hadlock Field against the Erie SeaWolves. Tickets are available and can be purchased by calling the Sea Dogs Ticket Office at (207) 879-9500 or online at seadogs.com.