Reds prospect undergoes season-ending shoulder surgery

Edwin Arroyo, an infield prospect, had surgery on Wednesday to repair a labrum rupture in his left shoulder, the Reds notified reporters (via C. Trent Rosecrans of the Athletic). He’s not going to be able to play in 2024. Arroyo, a non-roster invitee in Spring Training, was hurt when he dove back to a base on a pickoff attempt.

Arroyo was acquired by Cincinnati as the backup player in the 2022 deadline trade that sent Luis Castillo to Seattle. Although Noelvi Marte was the focal point of the package, Arroyo was thought to be a prospect who could have placed in the Top 100 on his own. At High-A Dayton, where he played for the majority of the previous season, he hit.248/.321/.427 with 13 home runs and 28 stolen bases. It wasn’t a particularly strong performance, but it was still a good effort for a 19-year-old.

Baseball America, ESPN, and The Athletic regarded Arroyo as one of Cincinnati’s top five to seven prospects.He was ranked in the back half of the sport’s Top 100 minor league players by ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and The Athletic’s Keith Law, who both described him as a potential regular who may stick at shortstop and is a switch-hitter with moderate power. He is undoubtedly young enough to reach that stage, but the operation hurts his prospect value and will lose him a year of development reps. Arroyo was unlikely to have an influence on the major league squad this season as he had barely made it to Double-A, but he may have worked his way up to the top levels in anticipation of making his debut in 2025.

Rather, he will have to endure a protracted rehabilitation procedure before, ideally, returning to Double-A healthy for the 25-game season. At the conclusion of the 2025 season, Cincinnati will have to choose whether to include him on the 40-man roster or choose him in the Rule 5 draft.