The Seattle Mariners are trying one final roll of the dice.
They’re scuffling at the MLB level in a big way, and it doesn’t appear their current roster has the necessary juice to make a September push.
With that in mind, they’ve called up promising prospect Michael Arroyo.
Arroyo is ranked the No. 45 prospect in the sport by MLB Pipeline, and he’s joining Seattle’s roster ahead of Sunday’s game against the Athletics.
It’s not guaranteed to work, but it certainly is worth a try. Seattle has slumped to a 66-77 record and has very little time to make a last-ditch push for an AL Wild Card spot.
Even if they don’t catch up, trying Arroyo for a little time in the big leagues should be good for his long-term development.
Who Is Michael Arroyo?
Arroyo is a 21-year old infielder originally from Colombia.
While he has some minor league experience in left field as well, he has mostly played in the middle infield.
That could be a tough spot for him to break through in the long run with the Mariners, though, because of the presence of Colt Emerson and Cole Young. They can figure that out down the road, though.
For now, the noteworthy part is that Arroyo has arrived.
He began the season at Double-A Arkansas, and in 65 games, he hit .287 with an .820 OPS that included 12 doubles and 10 home runs.
He then moved up to Triple-A Tacoma where he played 49 games and batted .277 with an .843 OPS that included 11 doubles, four triples and eight home runs, along with 41 RBI.
Across the two levels, Arroyo was 17-for-21 stealing bases, so he’s got some speed in his game.
He also has a pretty strong eye and solid contact skills, which will come in handy against the high level of pitching in the major leagues.
Arroyo got into four games with Colombia at the World Baseball Classic in March, and he was 4-for-13 (.308) with three walks for an .808 OPS.
Why Did The Mariners Wait?
Seattle may have made this move too wait, given their recent struggles, but it’s a hard equation to manage for an organization.
If you call up a player before he’s ready, it can stunt their development for the long run. And as discussed, Arroyo plays a similar position to other young talent in Seattle.
It’s not like the Mariners’ batting order had a ton of obvious openings. It has just become clear lately that Seattle needed a spark.
Their best chance to provide that spark is their top-50 prospect Arroyo. He’s got a lot of the skills that it would take to be successful at the MLB level. Whether he can make an immediate impact remains to be seen, but that’s certainly what the Mariners are hoping for en route to what they hope is a bright future for Arroyo.
Meet Michael Arroyo, Mariners’ Top-Tier Prospect Set for MLB Debut