Saw this in the deadline thread, but figured I'd talk about it in here.
I think this is completely wrong for a few reasons, coach.
#1 being what I have heard he is trying to do with his swing. Anytime you toy with mechanics changes while playing your numbers are going to suffer, that's just how it goes. You do things one way for the first 10+ years of your baseball life, then completely change your swing, its going to be tough to produce. But what I have heard is he is shortening and simplifying his swing, bat placement is different, stride is different...the whole 9 yards. Usually when a young hitter shortens/simplifies and changes his swing, the power goes completely away, you over compensate and pull everything, and you K more than normal.
Kid is going to hit 20+ HRs, raised his balls put in play to the opposite field 10%, and will see his K rate drop 5% this season, while his BB rate has jumped 4%.
He could have chosen not to revamp his swing and produced similar numbers to last year, but I think a year like this is more beneficial than a year with his older mechanics (which I think would have capped his ceiling to a certain point) where he was "producing more". I actually think this is a needed thing from him.
#2 being his hit placement. Pretty much the same as last year. Similar LD%, FB%, GB%, pulling balls the same rate, going oppo more than he ever has...the difference between his first 2 years and this one? He had a .293 and .339 BABIP his 1st 2 years as a pro...his BABIP right now is .193. That is crazy low for someone who is putting the ball in play at the same rate as the previous 2 seasons, and hit pretty much the same place, same way, and at the same rate.
I don't think he is even close to "dropping off big time" as a prospect this year. If anything, speaking as someone who has been a bit skittish with regards to Benson because of how raw his tools are, this year actually makes me like him more as a prospect moving forward.