5:39pm: Struggling first baseman/outfielder Chris Marrero has been designated for assignment, Shea tweets. In the other corresponding move, veteran utilityman Aaron Hill was sent to the 10-day DL with a forearm strain.
5:24pm: The Giants will promote top infield prospect Christian Arroyo, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area (via Twitter). Also joining the MLB roster is veteran outfielder Drew Stubbs, per John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter link).
Arroyo, who’s still just 21 years old, was taken 25th overall in the 2013 draft. Since, he has steadily moved up the ladder toward the majors, with the Giants facing steadily growing calls to give him a shot at the game’s highest level.
While there have been several opportunities, San Francisco has to this point kept the youngster in the pipeline. Arroyo struggled last year upon making the leap to Double-A, causing him to drop out of Baseball America’s listing of the top-100 prospects (though he remains 89th on MLB.com’s ranking) and further extending his timeline.
But that all changed with the beginning of the current season. The Giants have staggered out of the gates and will now be forced to navigate the tough NL West without ace Madison Bumgarner. Arroyo, meanwhile, has thrived in brief action at the game’s highest level. Through 69 plate appearances, he is slashing a robust .446/.478/.692. While he has drawn just a pair of walks, Arroyo has also gone down on strikes only eight times.
While he has played mostly at shortstop in the minors, Arroyo will line up at third base upon his arrival in San Francisco. Indeed, he’ll plug right into the lineup, taking the sixth spot in the batting order while starting at the hot corner tonight. Eduardo Nunez is playing in left field; presumably, he’ll see a good bit of time there while also stepping into the infield when needed.
Given that the season is only a few weeks old, Arroyo will be set up nicely to qualify for arbitration as a Super Two player down the road — assuming, at least, that he can stick in the bigs from this point forward. If he entrenches himself in San Francisco, Arroyo would reach arbitration eligibility in advance of the 2020 season but not qualify for free agency until 2024.
Yes! Put him at third for the rest of the season. DFA Marrero, Hernandez and Hill.
Hill is on the DL. But I don’t know why Hill isn’t a good choice as a reserve. He’s been a pretty average player over the past few years.
I get what you’re saying soth hernandez, but span is a ball of glass
Bench player?
Or move nuñez to left?
Yup, at least for today.
He is hitting .446 in AAA; this move is #Awesome. Yes Yes Yes he is not going to hit .446 at AT
Pretty sure he’s never played at “the game’s highest level.”
That sounded weird to me, too. AAA is the highest level? Maybe for the Padres this year (haha), but still……
No! Not Be there or be Square guy!
Chris Marrero probably should have never been on the team, anyway. The guy has never been good.
He’s barely played in the majors. He’s been a pretty good minor league player and he had a big spring. It was worth seeing what he could do.
And no surprise to anyone that he floundered once the games matter, like so many AAAA guys of his makeup.
Anyone else having a Gary Brown flashback?
hell no
Nope
The situation not the result.
by the time Gary Brown was called up, his shiny prospect status had dwindled, especially since he had to repeat AAA
Christian Arroyo is 21 years old… Even if he goes back down to AAA this year it won’t change much for him. I see him making the major league roster next year and will get good experience now and in September this year.
Kind of wish they wouldn’t waste service time on him this eary in the year, he’s only 21. The Giants weren’t built to compete before Opening Day and they clearly won’t now. They should have kept him down, tanked, and tried to rebuild responsibly.
Hill has been a solid player. I like stubbs in the outfield good defense. Arroyo is our best prospect on the team.
Yes. DFA Marrero and Hernandez also – it’s time to kick start the offense.
Red Sox. bring back Chris Marrero–release Brentz, Craig and Castillo —
Marrero may be a AAAA but he can play multiple positions and a RH bat.
My preference would be to see them bring up Devers from AA if Sandoval goes on the DL.
The kid has a solid bat and Butter can do wonders improving kids defensively.
That would be 7 kids home grown: Bene, JBJ and Mookie in the OF.
Devers,Bogaerts, Pedroia in the IF–with Vazquez behind the plate.
SF is a cold and wet place especially in spring. Marrero hasn’t learned to adjust his game much since coming out of the dry and hot Arizona spring. A lot of unimpressive deep fly-balls.