Here's the Reds' 2024 Spring Breakout roster
Cole Bradley
@colebradley01GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Even within a loaded Reds organization bursting with young talent at every position across all levels, Edwin Arroyo has been difficult to ignore. It doesn¡¯t take much to understand why.
The switch-hitting shortstop, ranked by MLB Pipeline as Cincinnati¡¯s No. 3 prospect and the No. 67 overall prospect, has displayed his elite capabilities throughout his first three professional seasons. As he enters his fourth year, Arroyo has a chance to emerge as another promising piece of the Reds¡¯ bright future, which will be showcased in the inaugural Spring Breakout next week.
¡°I know that the vibes over there are going to be awesome,¡± Arroyo said of the opportunity to play in the event. ¡°A lot of competition. I will personally do my best, and it¡¯s going to be fun to face other prospects.¡±
The 20-year-old will join 23 of his fellow prospects, including Rhett Lowder (No. 2), Sal Stewart (No. 6), Cam Collier (No. 7), Carlos Jorge (No. 8) and Alfredo Duno (No. 10), in providing a glimpse at the future of Reds baseball against other top prospects in a pair of seven-inning exhibition games.
As the only Cactus League team slated to play two Spring Breakout contests, Cincinnati will face Rangers prospects on March 14 at 6:05 p.m. ET/3:05 p.m. MST at Surprise Stadium and Guardians prospects on March 16 at 7:05 p.m. ET/4:05 p.m. MST at Goodyear Ballpark.
With the collective rise of Elly De La Cruz, No. 1 prospect Noelvi Marte, Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand last season, it perhaps has been easy to overlook Arroyo¡¯s steady ascent since he joined the Reds, along with Marte, as part of the return from the Mariners in the Luis Castillo deal at the 2022 Trade Deadline.
Last year, his first full season in the organization after the trade, Arroyo led High-A Dayton in runs (72), hits (118) walks (48) and stolen bases (28), while posting a Midwest League-best 10 triples.
Arroyo handles the bat well from both sides of the plate and has the ability to drive the ball to all fields. He has been able to tap into more power, particularly from the right side, where Arroyo hit eight homers and slugged .504 with an .860 OPS last season. Overall, he remains balanced as a switch hitter, batting .262 from the right side and .276 from the left over the past two seasons.
But outside what he¡¯s capable of with the bat, Arroyo has always excelled with the glove.
His athleticism and sure-handedness at shortstop have left no doubt about his ability to play the position at the next level, an attribute that made him an intriguing amateur prospect entering the 2021 Draft. (He was selected in the second round by Seattle at just 17 years old.)
All of that has culminated in what has been an exceptional performance in big league camp for Arroyo, who has arguably been the best hitter this spring for the Reds, albeit in a small sample size. Through nine games, he carried a .417 batting average (5-for-12) with three walks, two doubles, three RBIs and a stolen base while also performing well defensively.
Though the young shortstop was reassigned to Minor League camp during the Reds¡¯ first round of spring cuts on Thursday, Arroyo¡¯s strong showing was nothing short of electrifying, and he has a good chance to begin the 2024 season with Double-A Chattanooga.
The Spring Breakout provides him with an opportunity to further solidify himself as he continues to climb the prospect ladder.
¡°At this point right now, everything for us [prospects] is a showcase,¡± Arroyo said. ¡°We got to do our thing everywhere we go. But I feel like that¡¯s going to be another opportunity for that. I know a lot of eyes will be over there, so it will be a great opportunity.¡±
How to tune in: MLB Digital (MLB.TV, MLB.com, MLB App), CLEGuardians.com audio, Gameday vs. Rangers, Gameday vs. Guardians
What is Spring Breakout? MLB Spring Breakout is a four-day event showcasing baseball¡¯s future: the current stars of Minor League Baseball. The inaugural edition will be held from March 14-17 at Grapefruit and Cactus league stadiums during Spring Training. A series of 16 exhibition games will be played between teams comprised of each MLB organization¡¯s top prospects, creating a new touchpoint on the baseball calendar that celebrates our sport¡¯s budding talent.
Here's the Reds' Spring Breakout roster with MLB Pipeline's rankings: