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MLB Power Rankings: Top 25 players under 25

By Joshua Sadlock

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 26: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Chicago Cubs at Nationals Park on June 26, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 26: Bryce Harper #34 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Chicago Cubs at Nationals Park on June 26, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – JUNE 13: Andrew Benintendi #16 of the Boston Red Sox singles to drive in teammate Xander Bogaerts #2 for the winning run during the twelfth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Fenway Park on June 13, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox won 4-3 in twelve innings. (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 13: Andrew Benintendi #16 of the Boston Red Sox singles to drive in teammate Xander Bogaerts #2 for the winning run during the twelfth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Fenway Park on June 13, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Red Sox won 4-3 in twelve innings. (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images) /

23. Andrew Benintendi

The hype train for Andrew Benintendi got out of the station way too quickly this season, with members of the Boston media declaring him an MVP candidate with the dust still settling on Opening Day. Keep in mind, that at the time, Benintendi had played only 34 games at the MLB level. Seems a bit premature to begin the MVP talk.

Unfair expectations aside, Benintendi struggles early in the year helped keep the Boston Red Sox lineup stuck in neutral for the better part of two months. Since May turned to June, however, Benintendi is in fact performing like an MVP. He hit .204/.296/.306 in May, but has batted .324/.407/.590 over his past 30 games with seven home runs and 23 RBI. On the Fourth of July, he went 5-for-5 with two home runs and six RBI.

The Red Sox definitely picked the right time to be terrible in 2014. They were able to select Benintendi in the first round of the 2015 draft out of college and get him to the major leagues in less than a year. He is an impressive hitter with a quick stroke and an elite command of the strike zone. It no longer feels hyperbolic to consider the rookie an MVP candidate even if Aaron Judge is running away with the award.

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