The Reds announced tonight that infield prospect Edwin Arroyo underwent surgery to mend a labrum tear in his left shoulder, as reported by C. Trent Rosecrans of the Athletic. Consequently, he will be sidelined for the entirety of the 2024 season. Arroyo sustained the injury while diving back to a base during a pickoff attempt in Spring Training as a non-roster invitee.
Cincinnati acquired Arroyo as a complementary piece in the 2022 trade that saw Luis Castillo move to Seattle. Although the main focus was on Noelvi Marte, Arroyo was considered a prospect of near Top 100 caliber in his own right. His performance last season at High-A Dayton, where he posted a batting line of .248/.321/.427 with 13 home runs and 28 stolen bases, was commendable for a 19-year-old.
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Arroyo was ranked among the top five to seven prospects in the Reds’ system by Baseball America, ESPN, and The Athletic. Both ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and The Athletic’s Keith Law placed him towards the bottom of the sport’s Top 100 minor league talents, noting his potential as a switch-hitter with some power and a chance to play shortstop. However, the surgery is a setback for his prospect status, depriving him of a year of development opportunities. Although he had just reached Double-A and wasn’t expected to join the major league team this season, he could have progressed to higher levels with an eye on a debut in 2025.
Instead, Arroyo will face an extended rehabilitation process before aiming to start the 2025 season healthy in Double-A. Cincinnati will need to decide by the end of the 2025 season whether to add him to the 40-man roster or risk losing him in the Rule 5 draft.