FAYETTEVILLE — Andrew Benintendi was named the national player of the year by Baseball America on Thursday.
It is the second such honor for the sophomore center fielder, as he was also named the national player of the year by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. He is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy, as well.
After struggling as a freshman, Benintendi has had a breakout year in 2015. He leads the SEC with a .380 batting average and 19 home runs, while his 55 RBIs and 23 stolen bases rank in the top 10 in the conference.
He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox seventh overall in the Major League Baseball Draft Monday. He is expected to sign a professional contract before the July 17 deadline and forgo his final two years of eligibility with the Razorbacks.