Edwin

Arroyo

Arroyo has gotten an opportunity at the keystone in four of seven contests since being called up from Triple-A Louisville last week. The 22-year-old top prospect is just 3-for-14 at the dish so far. He has a real chance to push Matt McLain for the everyday role at second base once Elly De La Cruz (hamstring) is back from the injured list later this month.

Arroyo has started just three of five games since being called up from Triple-A Louisville earlier this week, going 2-for-10 with one run scored during that span. The 22-year-old top prospect’s path to regular at-bats is partially obstructed by Cincinnati’s overflow of veteran infielders, but he should see enough time at second base to make an impact in deeper mixed leagues. Matt McLain is at shortstop with Spencer Steer getting into the lineup at second base on Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium.

This was a bit of a concern for fantasy purposes when Arroyo was called up on Monday. The Reds simply have a glut of position players who need at-bats. Spencer Steer will start at second base on Wednesday with Sal Stewart at first base, Nathaniel Lowe at designated hitter, and Matt McLain at shortstop.

Arroyo singled to right field in his final at-bat of the contest after striking out his first three times up. The 22-year-old top prospect’s signature moment during his highly-anticipate debut came during the second inning when he made an extremely athletic play at second base, ranging to his left into shallow right field to make a sliding stop before firing accurately to get the runner at first base. He figures to take over as Cincinnati’s starting second baseman, with Matt McLain handling shortstop, for at least a few weeks while Elly De La Cruz (hamstring) is on the injured list. He’s at least worthy of a speculative roster spot in deeper mixed leagues given his combination of fantasy-relevant tools and path to regular at-bats.

Francona added that De La Cruz has been diagnosed with a Grade 1-2 hamstring strain that will require a multi-week absence. The 24-year-old fantasy superstar, who was hitting .280/.346/.509 with 40 runs scored, 12 homers, 37 RBI and 10 steals through 58 games, hit the injured list prior to Monday’s series opener against the Royals and figures to be out until at least mid-to-late June in a best-case scenario. Matt McLain figures to get some looks at shortstop with top prospect Edwin Arroyo likely to factor into the equation between both shortstop and second base.

There was an argument for giving the 22-year-old Arroyo a try before Elly De La Cruz got hurt, and now he will get a look with De La Cruz sidelined for at least 10 days. He will be making his major league debut after hitting .323/.383/.562 with 11 homers and nine steals in 53 games for Louisville. If he thrives, then he could stick around and play second base after De La Cruz returns (maybe Matt McLain will finally get that crash course in center). That makes him worth a speculative pickup in a great situation for hitters in Cincinnati.

Arroyo is now up to 10 home runs and 33 RBI on the season to go along with a .348/.408/.604 slash line and eight steals. He seems ready for his shot at the big leagues. The only issue is that Eugenio Suarez (oblique) is also at Triple-A on a rehab assignment, and Arroyo has stopped playing third base. That could cloud his possible chance at a spot on the big league roster.

Arroyo took Jose Urquidy deep in the first inning for his ninth home run of the season. It also gives him 30 RBI to go along with a .348 batting average and a 1.025 OPS. Oh, and those two steals also give him seven on the season. It may seem like Edwin Arroyo has been around a while because he was a major part of the Luis Castillo trade four years ago, but Arroyo is just 22 years old. His time in Cincinnati is coming very soon.

Arroyo gets forgotten about a bit in Cincinnati, but he was a top 50 prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America, when he was traded, along with Noelvi Marte and Levi Stoudt, as part of the Luis Castillo trade in 2022. Arroyo, who is only 22 years old, is slashing .322/.398/.524 this season in 35 games at Triple-A with five home runs, 23 RBI, and five steals. What’s potentially more interesting is that the shortstop has recently played two games at third base, a position he has never played in the minors before. This could be a bit of a sign that the Reds are looking to find another option besides Ke’Bryan Hayes.

Rodríguez is the notable name here for fantasy managers, especially in dynasty formats after slashing .283/.336/.450 with 19 homers and 15 steals across 135 games between two levels to finish last year at Triple-A. The 21-year-old will require some additional seasoning on the doorstep of the majors but he’s a power/speed combo talent worth watching throughout the season. Arroyo is one of Cincinnati’s top prospects entering the year after batting .284/.345/.371 with three homers and 12 steals in 120 games last season for Double-A Chattanooga.