Andrew Benintendi Bio
Andrew Sebastian Benintendi is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, and New York Yankees. Benintendi gained national recognition as a college standout at the University of Arkansas, where he captured the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy in 2015.
The Boston Red Sox selected Benintendi in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut in 2016. He was a key contributor to the Red Sox 2018 World Series championship and has earned additional honors including an All-Star selection in 2022 and a Gold Glove Award in 2021. He signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago White Sox in January 2023.
Early Life and Background
Andrew Sebastian Benintendi was born on July 6, 1994, in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He grew up in Madeira, Ohio, and attended Madeira High School, where he starred for the Mustangs baseball team. During his senior year, Benintendi batted .564 with 12 home runs, 57 runs batted in, and 38 stolen bases. He was recognized as the ABCA/Rawlings National High School Player of the Year and the Ohio Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year, finishing his high school career with an Ohio-record 199 career runs scored.
In addition to baseball, Benintendi was a talented basketball player and earned 2011–12 Cincinnati Enquirer Division III Co-Player of the Year honors, setting school records in career points and three-pointers. Benintendi’s paternal grandparents immigrated to the United States from Castellammare del Golfo in Sicily, Italy. He grew up a Cincinnati Reds fan, which helped shape his early passion for the game.
Path to Professional Baseball
The Cincinnati Reds selected Benintendi in the 31st round of the 2013 MLB draft, but he did not sign with the team. Instead, he enrolled at the University of Arkansas to play college baseball for the Arkansas Razorbacks. As a true freshman, he played in 61 games and hit .276 with one home run and 27 runs batted in, showing steady development in his first year with the program.
In 2015, his junior season, Benintendi emerged as one of the top amateur players in the country. He led the Southeastern Conference in batting average, home runs, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and walks, earning SEC Player of the Year honors. He went on to win the Baseball America College Player of the Year Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, and the Golden Spikes Award, cementing his status as the top college player of his draft class.
Andrew Benintendi Career
Early Career (2015–2016)
The Boston Red Sox chose Benintendi with the seventh overall pick in the 2015 MLB draft, and he signed for a $3.6 million bonus. He made his professional debut with the Lowell Spinners before finishing the 2015 season with the Class A Greenville Drive, where he hit .351 in 19 games. Benintendi opened 2016 with Salem in the Carolina League and was promoted to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs on May 15.
On August 2, 2016, the Red Sox promoted Benintendi straight to the major leagues from Double-A. He made his MLB debut that same day as a pinch hitter against the Seattle Mariners, and he recorded his first major league hit the next day off Hisashi Iwakuma. He later hit his first major league home run against the Detroit Tigers, then opened the postseason with a home run in his first playoff at bat against the Cleveland Indians, becoming the youngest Red Sox player to hit a home run in a postseason game.
Boston Red Sox Tenure (2016–2020)
Benintendi opened 2017 on Boston’s Opening Day roster and produced a strong rookie campaign, highlighted by a 5-for-5 performance with six runs batted in against the Texas Rangers. He finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting despite receiving no first-place votes because Aaron Judge won unanimously. He batted .271 with 20 home runs, 90 runs batted in, and 20 stolen bases during the regular season.
During the 2018 season, Benintendi served as Boston’s regular left fielder and batted second behind Mookie Betts. He finished with a .290 average, 41 doubles, 103 runs scored, 16 home runs, 87 runs batted in, and 21 stolen bases. In the playoffs, he recorded the final outs in Games 4 and 5 of the American League Championship Series, including a diving catch to preserve a lead. The Red Sox went on to win the 2018 World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers, with Benintendi batting .333 in the series after a four-hit performance in Game 1.
In 2019, Benintendi appeared in 138 games and batted .266 with 40 doubles, 13 home runs, and 68 runs batted in. On February 8, 2020, the Red Sox signed him to a two-year, $10 million contract to avoid arbitration. He recorded his 500th career major league hit on July 29, 2020, but a right rib cage strain ended his shortened season after he went 4-for-39 at the plate.
Kansas City Royals Era (2021–2022)
On February 10, 2021, the Red Sox traded Benintendi and cash to the Kansas City Royals as part of a three-team deal. In his first season with Kansas City, he batted .276 with 17 home runs and 73 runs batted in across 134 games. He led all major league left fielders with 1,116 innings played and a .987 fielding percentage, winning his first Gold Glove Award.
Following an arbitration award of $8.5 million for 2022, Benintendi began the year batting .317 and was selected as the Royals’ lone representative to the 2022 MLB All-Star Game. In 93 games with Kansas City before being traded, he batted .320 with three home runs and 39 runs batted in, establishing himself as one of the league’s hottest hitters during the early months of the season.
New York Yankees Stint (2022)
On July 27, 2022, the Royals traded Benintendi to the New York Yankees for minor league prospects T. J. Sikkema, Chandler Champlain, and Beck Way. In his abbreviated time in pinstripes, he batted .254 with two home runs in 114 at bats before suffering a broken hamate bone in his right wrist when he was hit by a pitch on September 2. The injury required surgery and ended his 2022 campaign.
Chicago White Sox Era (2023–Present)
On January 3, 2023, Benintendi signed a five-year, $75 million contract with the Chicago White Sox. He hit his first home run with the club on June 16, 2023, off Bryan Woo of the Seattle Mariners. In his first White Sox season, he batted .262 with five home runs and 45 runs batted in while leading all American League left fielders with four errors.
In 2024, Benintendi experienced a power resurgence, hitting 20 home runs to match his career high set in 2017. However, his .229 batting average and .289 on-base percentage were career lows, and he finished with a negative wins above replacement for the first time in a full season. He opened 2025 on the injured list after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his right hand during spring training, then returned for Opening Day on March 27, where he hit a three-run home run in the White Sox 8–1 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Driving Style and Strengths
Benintendi is a left-handed hitting outfielder known for his patient approach at the plate, ability to work counts, and knack for driving the ball to all fields. His elite defensive instincts in left field earned him a Gold Glove Award in 2021, when he led all major league left fielders in innings played and fielding percentage. Even in seasons when his offensive production dipped, his contact skills and on-base discipline remained core strengths that made him a valuable middle-of-the-order presence.
Notable Events and Milestones
Benintendi became the youngest Red Sox player to hit a postseason home run when he connected in Game 1 of the 2016 American League Division Series. He recorded the final out of the 2018 American League Championship Series with a diving catch that helped send Boston to the World Series. More recently, he hit his 100th career home run on March 31, 2025, and recorded his 500th career run batted in on April 18, 2025.
Andrew Benintendi Career Highlights
Across his major league career, Andrew Sebastian Benintendi has been a consistent contributor for four franchises. He earned an All-Star selection in 2022, a Gold Glove Award in 2021, and a World Series championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2018. His college awards include the Golden Spikes Award, Dick Howser Trophy, and SEC Player of the Year, all earned in 2015.
MLB Highlights
Benintendi’s 2017 season produced a 5-for-5 game with six runs batted in against the Texas Rangers, a 20-home run, 20-stolen base campaign, and a second-place finish in the American League Rookie of the Year voting. In 2018, he hit .290 with 16 home runs and 21 stolen bases while playing a central role in Boston’s World Series run. He returned to the All-Star Game in 2022 with the Royals and won a Gold Glove the year before.
Other Performances
During his time in the minor leagues, Benintendi batted .351 with the Class A Greenville Drive in 2015 and quickly moved up the ladder to reach the majors in just over a year. In 2024, his 20-home run season with the White Sox showed he still had the power to drive the ball out of the park, even as his overall offensive production dipped.
Andrew Benintendi Family
Family Background and Heritage
Andrew Sebastian Benintendi was raised in Madeira, Ohio, by a family with deep ties to both Cincinnati and Italian heritage. His paternal grandparents immigrated to the United States from Castellammare del Golfo in Sicily, Italy, eventually settling on Lama Court in Gravesend, Brooklyn. Growing up in a sports-minded household, Benintendi developed into a Cincinnati Reds fan, fueling his love for baseball from an early age.
Personal Life
Benintendi has been open about his Italian American background and the influence of his grandparents’ immigration story on his life. He resides in St. Louis, Missouri, where he has supported local teams, including the St. Louis Blues during the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals. He is known to keep his personal and family life largely private.
2025 Season Performance
Andrew Sebastian Benintendi’s 2025 campaign began on a difficult note, as a non-displaced fracture in his right hand suffered during a spring training game kept him out for 4–6 weeks. He returned just in time for Opening Day on March 27, 2025, launching a three-run home run in the Chicago White Sox 8–1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. He quickly reached career milestones, hitting his 100th career home run on March 31 and his 500th career run batted in on April 18.
Injuries continued to interrupt his rhythm, as a left adductor strain landed him on the 10-day injured list in April and a left calf strain sent him back in May. On September 23, 2025, the White Sox announced that Benintendi was suffering from left Achilles tendinitis and would miss the remainder of the regular season. He finished the year with a .240 batting average, 20 home runs, 63 runs batted in, and a .738 on-base plus slugging percentage across 116 games.
Despite the injuries, Benintendi’s 20 home runs showed he remained a power threat in Chicago’s lineup, and his milestone moments highlighted the longevity of his career. The White Sox will look for him to return at full strength as they continue to develop their young core, with his contract running through the 2028 season.