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MLB Awards Predictions 2017

By Justin Koonce

Mar 18, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; A view of an official Rawlings baseball at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Orioles won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2017; Tampa, FL, USA; A view of an official Rawlings baseball at George M. Steinbrenner Field. The Orioles won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Winner: Andrew Benintendi

Benintendi is the favorite here, as he should be. He absolutely raked in 185 minor league games after being taken seventh overall in the 2015 MLB Amateur Draft. He got his first exposure to MLB pitching last season, and he took advantage of the playing time. Benintendi hit .295/.359/.476 in 118 plate appearances before a knee injury cut his season short.

He enters this season as the everyday left fielder for the Red Sox, as long as his struggles against left-handers don’t continue. Benintendi isn’t spectacular in the power or stolen base categories, but he can provide value in both. He is projected to be slightly below average on defense, but he has hit for average and gotten on base at high rates at every level so far. Expect big things from Benintendi this season.

Runner Up: Jharel Cotton

Here we get a little into the crazy zone. Cotton has never been a top-100 prospect, but he came up with the A’s last year and performed well enough to earn the fourth spot in their rotation this season. Cotton posted a 2.15 ERA in five September starts with Oakland, striking out 23 and walking four. He mixes four solid pitches and has the advantage of pitching in a very pitcher-friendly park. Don’t be surprised if Cotton puts together an impressive year in Oakland this season.

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