According to MLB.com's Jim Callis, seventh overall pick Andrew Benintendi has agreed to sign with the Boston Red Sox for the full slot bonus of 3,590,400. In a rather weak draft, Benintendi was one of the most intriguing prospects on the board after dominating in all parts of the game during the 2015 college baseball season. Not to mention, the 20-year-old center fielder was able to capture the Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the best player in all of college baseball.

After an ugly 2014 season that saw the Red Sox sell off many fan favorites, they needed to draft a guy who could help make up for all that suffering later on. With the strong tool set Benintendi has at his disposal, he should have no problem making a name for himself across professional baseball.

The SEC Player of The Year batted .376 with 20 home runs and a league-leading .488 OBP. He was the spark plug for an Arkansas Razorbacks team that made an incredible run into the College World Series. Benintendi did not domiante only at the plate, though, as he played a strong center field throughout the entire season, leaving many scouts to believe he could stick there at the Major League level.

On the base paths, he also stole 24 bags in 28 attempts, creating havoc for catchers who went up against him. A strong hit tool that includes power along with good speed and defense has caused Benintendi to draw comparisons from scouts to former Red Sox all-star Jacoby Ellsbury.

The only knocks on Benintendi so far have been the fact that he is not very tall (5'10'') and that he broke out unpredictably in 2015. Prior to the college baseball season, Benintendi had been on very few scouts radar. After his freshman year, he didn't even play summer ball, which is rare for any guy looking to be a future MLB draftee. The consistency Benintendi showed involving each one of his tools throughout the season, however, led most scouts to believing what he was doing was no fluke.

If all of Benintendi's tools end up developing properly and transitioning to professional baseball well, he has a huge ceiling as with most top-ten draft picks. But what is different about Benintendi is that he has so many solid tools that even if some do not end up panning out, he still has the chance to be an impact player at the Major League level one day.

A few weeks back, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington noted that after Benintendi signed, he would make his professional baseball debut in short-season Lowell. He has already been added to their active roster, so it's likely he'll be making his debut at some point over the next few days.

In a season in which there is little to be happy about at the Major League level, watching some of the newly-drafted prospects will definitely give Red Sox Nation hope that things are going to get better again. Nothing can excite a fanbase more than prospects who flash the ability to one day help a club win games. It is likely going to be years until Benintendi gets his chance with the Red Sox, but, hopefully, when he does, he will help make all the pain suffered duirng the 2014 season worth it for years to come.

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About the author
Tyler Milliken
Hi my names Tyler, I'm just a guy who fell in love with the sport of baseball and the Boston Red Sox. I am a 18 year old at Curry College who has the hopes to one day be a well respected baseball journalist within this industry. Check me out on twitter @tyler_milliken for constant baseball debates and news. On this page my articles will range all the way from news across the league to my opinion on what teams should do involving prospects and potential moves. I Hope you all enjoy my work and thanks for checking it out! Have a nice day!