Andrew Benintendi scouting report and fit with the Mariners
Andrew Benintendi scouting report and fit with the Mariners
With Masataka Yoshida off the board and the Mariners in need of a corner outfield piece, could the Mariners bring on Andrew Benintendi?
The Mariners are interested in adding corner outfield pieces this offseason, but the options on the open market are certainly dwindling. Seattle clearly prefers the trade market over free agents, but there are still a few options that would be of high impact. Brandon Nimmo is one name I have talked about as the perfect fit, but Andrew Benintendi could be another comparable option for the Mariners.
Now before I get into Benintendi and his fit with Seattle, let’s remember that the Mariners’ front office has expressed their desire for a right-handed corner infield and outfield option. He may not be a fit if they cannot find the right players to fit into this puzzle.
The 28 year old was dealt to the Yankees at the trade deadline last season after an All-Star first half with the Royals. His numbers took a bit of a dip as he battled through some injuries with New York but overall put together a .304/.373/.399 slash line last season.
He played left field all of last season but has played centerfield in the past, making his defensive profile a good one for Seattle. The Mariners desperately need a left fielder, and unless they believe in Jarred Kelenic will need to go outside the organization to get it. Benintendi’s ability to play centerfield gives the Mariners another option on the roster if Julio Rodríguez were to miss time.
Benintendi has a long track record of hitting, putting together average or above-average offensive numbers every year of his career except the shortened 2020. Last season he put up a 122 WRC+, an excellent number that would impact the Mariners lineup greatly.
He offers little power but makes up for it with high on-base skills. The former Arkansas Razorback owns a career OBP of .351 and an average strikeout rate of just 18.1 percent over his big league career. This ability to control the strike zone would certainly make him appealing to the Mariners.
Last season he used the entire field better than ever, hitting the ball the other way a career-high 30 percent of the time. He pulled the ball just 29 percent of the time, meaning he is unlikely to be affected a ton by the ban of the shift.
His fit offensively is undeniable. He compares pretty well to Brandon Nimmo, even besting him in one of the most important qualities. Nimmo has struggled to stay on the field at times, but Benintendi has been very good at staying on the field.
In every season besides the shortened 2020 and his rookie year, Benintendi has played 120 games. This is extremely important for a Mariners team that has struggled keeping their outfielders healthy over the last few seasons.
Another bonus of adding Benintendi is his defense. Baseball Savant has him a little above average in both outfield jump and outs above average, which would be a huge upgrade for Seattle in left field.
If Seattle does not think a deal will get done with the Pirates for Bryan Reynolds, Andrew Benintendi would be an impact addition to the Mariners’ outfield.