Giants' Top Prospect Takes Flight in Richmond

Christian Arroyo is like most normal 20-year-olds: he's close with his younger sister and misses his mother's home cooking. But he also has a particular set of skills, skills that the Giants organization felt very strongly about when it made him the 25th overall pick in the 2013 June draft. While Kris Bryant (2nd overall, Cubs) remains the most noteworthy selection from that particular round, Arroyo entered the 2016 season as one of the most highly touted Giants prospects in years. And many feel he's just getting started, and that he'll only continue to develop and improve so that someday soon he's part of the growing tradition in a homegrown Giants infield.

On most nights, you'll find him in the thick of manager Miguel Ojeda's lineup batting second or third while playing his home games in a tough hitter's park. As one of the 10 youngest players in a traditionally pitcher-friendly league, the task hasn't appeared to be too much for Arroyo, who hit .284 with eight runs batted in during the first month of the season. "The biggest challenge is the level of pitching is a little more advanced," he noted. "And then the travel is a little tougher than the California League. I don't really worry too much about the travel because I just sleep anyways, so it doesn't really bother me too much." He'll need his rest after a long 2015 season in which he broke out with the High-A team in San Jose, before being invited to the prospect-laden Arizona Fall League. While facing some of the top prospects around all of minor league baseball, Arroyo was named to the AFL's All-Prospect team after batting .308 (24-for-78) with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 19 games for the league champion Scottsdale Scorpions.

Arroyo also made a nice impression with the big league club during spring training, and many noted his professionalism both on and off the field with the Giants. "You never know," manager Bruce Bochy said when asked about the possibility of Arroyo getting a call-up later in the season. "He had that good of a spring. He's mature beyond his years, how he handles himself. He's a guy we're going to keep an eye on. This year? I wouldn't rule it out." That's some very high praise from the man who's overseen three World Series titles since 2010.

But Christian takes everything in stride, and always appears to have the same demeanor through good and bad while being a very supportive teammate and clubhouse presence. He didn't seem overly concerned when talking about the Flying Squirrels tough start to the season. "We've got a really good team with a nice mixture of younger guys and older guys who have more experience in this league," he pointed out. We've got a good pitching staff, we've got good hitters, but it's just not coming all together right now. I think we're going to be fine and we'll turn it around here. I think we're close, and this team has a lot more in us than our record shows."

In addition to his fast start at the plate, Miguel Ojeda has been shuffling the shortstop around the infield so that he could spend a few games at both second and third base. "For me, I like to slow the game down," says Arroyo, after a recent session in the batting cage underneath The Diamond." I've always moved around [defensively] so I'm kind of used to that, and I think the biggest thing for me is to get consistent with my mechanics and staying consistent throughout the year against better pitching."

He's also embraced some of the amazing nights at The Diamond, including the April 30 game when the Flying Squirrels had the ASK Foundation out at the ballpark to raise awareness for families dealing with pediatric cancer. During the seventh inning stretch, several children made their annual walk around homeplate so they could high-five the Squirrels amidst a standing ovation from 7,079 emotional fans. "I definitely got chills seeing all those kids, knowing what they've been through," Arroyo remembers. "Especially seeing kids that are the same age as my [younger] sister, going through such tough times. I just wanted to give them all a hug, but in the middle of a game, it's kind of hard to do that."

So far, the kid from Brooksville, Florida has been as good as advertised while carrying himself with class and grace. Although he misses the weather in Florida as well as his family and friends, he's also used to the grind of the baseball season by now. With many months left to help the Flying Squirrels get back on track, he'll play a key role in the team's success. And if Mr. Bochy should come calling at some point, well then I guess we'll see him in San Francisco.