Who is Edwin Arroyo? Cincinnati Reds shortstop prospect had strong spring before injury
Cincinnati Reds minor-league shortstop Edwin Arroyo was among several prospects invited in January to Major League spring training camp. Arroyo's two-run double February 29 against the Los Angeles Dodgers gave him his fourth hit in his first seven Cactus League at-bats.
Arroyo was 6-for-17 (.353), but suffered an injury diving back to first base on a pick-off attempt March 13 against the San Francisco Giants. On Wednesday, the Reds announced that Arroyo will need season-ending surgery for a torn labrum.
Arroyo's first at-bat last season with the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts was a triple off the wall. He was expected to start this season at Chattanooga.
Arroyo was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a stolen base in his Double-A debut. He was promoted September 12 from the High-A Dayton Dragons to Chattanooga.
Arroyo, who turned 20 last August, is ranked No. 67 among MLB Pipeline's top prospects in baseball.
Arroyo ranks third among MLB Pipeline's Reds prospects, behind fellow infielder Noelvi Marte and 2023 first-round pick Rhett Lowder.
In his first full season in the Reds' organization, Arroyo batted .252 with 28 doubles, 11 triples, 60 RBIs and 29 stolen bases.
Here are five things to know about Arroyo:
The Reds acquired Arroyo in a trade for starting pitcher Luis Castillo at the 2022 trade deadline.
Castillo, who posted a 3.62 ERA in 137 starts for the Reds over parts of six seasons in Cincinnati, was sent to the Mariners for Marte, Arroyo, Andrew Moore and Levi Stoudt.
When the Reds acquired Arroyo, he was batting .316 with 19 doubles, 13 homers and seven triples in 87 games at Low-A Modesto, with 67 RBIs and 76 runs.
After the trade, Arroyo had a two-run double and two walks in his debut for the Low-A Daytona Tortugas.
Arroyo was the 48th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.
The Seattle Mariners selected Arroyo in the second round. The Reds took pitcher Andrew Abbott five picks later, at No. 53 overall.
In the first round, the Twins selected Chase Petty, a pitching prospect the Reds acquired in a 2022 trade for Sonny Gray, nine picks after the Reds took Matt McLain 17th overall.
Arroyo is from Arecibo, Puerto Rico.
At age 17, the switch-hitting Arroyo moved to Florida for his senior year of high school.
Two-time American League MVP and three-time All-Star Juan Gonzalez also was born in Arecibo.
MLB Pipeline's Arroyo profile lists a big-league ETA of 2025.
While Marte, who only played shortstop as a Seattle minor-leaguer, exclusively played third base at Triple-A Louisville and played both SS and 2B for the Reds, Arroyo is expected to remain at shortstop.
An excerpt from MLB Pipeline's profile:
If he continues to hit at all, Arroyo could be an elite-level player because there’s no doubt he’s going to be able to play shortstop for a long time. He has excellent hands and actions at the premium position, with more than enough arm to make throws from all over the infield. Assuming he gets his bearings with his new organization, he should continue to prove he has the tools to be an everyday shortstop in the big leagues.
Arroyo heated up after an April injury and slow start.
After being placed on the seven-day injured list with a left hip strain, Arroyo hit .200 in 13 games in April and .196 in 24 games in May.
He hit .299 in June and .282 in July. And in his first 14 August games, he batted .310 with an OPS of 1.032.
Arroyo tripled twice in one game in Ft. Wayne in August.
Smells like teen spirit!
19-year-old @Reds shortstop Edwin Arroyo (MLB No. 61) smokes his 11th homer for @DragonsBaseball: pic.twitter.com/0CMjHENSh3— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 18, 2023
LOVE SPORTS? [ Subscribe now for unlimited access to Cincinnati.com ]
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who is Edwin Arroyo? Cincinnati Reds shortstop prospect to miss 2024
