Dave Dombrowski's Long, Up-And-Down History Of Jumping Prospects To The Big Leagues
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The news of Andrew Benintendi's promotion from Double-A Portland straight to the major leagues should not have surprised you. If it did, that's OK - but you may be unaware that Dave Dombrowski has done this before. A lot.
The Red Sox president of baseball operations has been hit-or-miss rushing top prospects from Double-A to the majors over his career. As evidenced by Benintendi's call-up, his past mistakes have not deterred him.
Back on June 24, when asked if Benintendi were ready for the major leagues, Dombrowski told the Boston Herald's Evan Drellich: "Not really. We don't think he's ready at this point. We didn't even talk about him in relation to this move. We just don't think he's ready and we wouldn't want to bring him up here until he's ready."
Benintendi was batting just .260 with the Portland Sea Dogs on that day. Since then, all he's done is bat .340 with five home runs and a 1.058 OPS in 30 games. So, obviously, Dombrowski feels Benintendi is ready for major league pitching now.
That doesn't mean Benintendi won't have to go through some kind of "growing pains" as he adjusts from Double-A to the majors, but the 22-year-old outfielder is just the latest in a long line of top prospects who Dombrowski has skipped a level.
"Generally, if you can perform well at the Double-A level, you can perform well at the big league level," Dombrowski said back in June. "I have jumped many a player in my career from Double-A to the big leagues. I have no problem with that. Triple-A is still, there are things you learn in Triple-A and we'd love to get him that step, but if you're really good you can make it from Double-A, sure."
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Dombrowski promoted several top prospects from High-A or Double-A ball straight to the majors in his time as GM of the Detroit Tigers. Among them is Red Sox starter Rick Porcello, who made the giant leap from High-A to the majors in 2009. It has taken a while for Porcello to develop into a solid starter, but he was very impressive as a rookie in Detroit, going 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 31 starts as a 20-year-old. Dombrowski also promoted Justin Verlander from Double-A to the majors in 2005. Verlander struggled in his two starts that year but went 17-9 with a 3.63 ERA in his rookie season in 2006.
As far as hitters go, one of the more notable names Dombrowski promoted to the majors from Double-A was Cameron Maybin in 2007, when he was considered one of the top prospects in baseball. At the time, Dombrowski said of Maybin, "I don't know if he's ready. We'll see." Maybin struggled mightily, batting just .143 in 24 games as a 20-year-old, but was still traded that offseason to the Marlins in a package for Miguel Cabrera. Maybin has proven to be a decent speed guy and center fielder in the major leagues, but far from the elite ceiling he was projected to have.
Dombrowski's quick promotions go back even further than that. As GM of the then-Florida Marlins in 1996, he promoted second baseman Luis Castillo from Double-A to the majors. He gave the team great speed atop the lineup that season and again in 1997, when the Marlins won the World Series.
It remains to be seen what kind of impact Benintendi will make at the major league level in 2016, but it's clear that Dombrowski is not afraid to give highly touted prospects a chance to give the team a spark down the stretch. Xander Bogaerts did just that down the stretch of the 2013 season, as did Jacoby Ellsbury in 2007 - and you know what happened those years ...
For now, Benintendi is expected to start in left field against right-handed pitchers. His smooth swing from the left side of the plate has a chance to give the Red Sox the boost they need at that position in the lineup. Brock Holt, Chris Young, Blake Swihart, and Bryce Brentz have combined to bat just .255 against righties this season (although Holt and Swihart did not play all of those game in left). But the opportunity is there for Benintendi to make an immediate impact, if he can make the adjustment to the majors - but he has done that at every other level in his career, so why not in the major leagues?
Now, the clock begins to tick on Yoan Moncada. Based on Dombrowski's history with top prospects in Double-A, the Cuban second baseman and MLB's No. 2 prospect in baseball could also see time in the big leagues before this season is over.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
