Surging Cincinnati Reds Top Prospect Leaves Triple-A Game With Injury

One of the Reds' top prospects left his game after fouling a ball off his leg.

Feb 21, 2024; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds reds non-roster invitee infielder Edwin Arroyo throws to first base during fielding drills at spring training workouts at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images | Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding Cincinnati Reds top infield prospect Edwin Arroyo for the last few weeks. Reds infielders Matt McLain and Ke'Bryan Hayes have struggled, though McLain has turned it around. At the same time, Arroyo has been one of the hottest hitters in all of minor league baseball.

But on Friday night, all of this momentum may have come to a halt as Arroyo left his Triple-A game with an injury.

Arroyo came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning in a game that the Louisville Bats were losing 8 to 1. Arroyo went on to foul a pitch off his leg that left him on the ground in obvious pain. It appeared as though the pitch was fouled off the inside of his lead leg.

Edwin Arroyo's Injury Didn't Look Good

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Edwin Arroyo (56) hits the ball in the third inning of a Cactus League game between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, Ariz. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Injuries are never a pleasant sight to see, but this injury to Arroyo was especially tough to watch. Arroyo wears a shin guard on his lower leg, which typically protects from situations like these, but the ball was fouled off his unprotected knee. Arroyo began trying to climb to his knees but quickly returned to his back in obvious pain.

Arroyo would go on to leave the game while Michael Chavis replaced him. Arroyo was 1-for-3 with a single on Friday night before the injury.

On the season, Arroyo is slashing .348/.415/.610 with an OPS over 1.000, nine home runs, four triples, eight doubles, and seven stolen bases. In May, he's been incredible, slashing .479/.519/.1.000 with six home runs in 11 games. He homered in back-to-back games before Friday night's contest.

McLain has been heating up for the Reds, but Arroyo was still generating a lot of buzz as a potential call-up to help boost the Reds' lineup by replacing Hayes at third base against right-handed pitchers. Hayes struggles against righties but is decent against lefties. Arroyo is excellent against righties but struggles a bit against southpaws. The idea of calling Arroyo up to the big leagues to see a lot of time at third base until Eugenio Suárez returns from the injured list wasn't far-fetched before the injury.

At this point, the Reds are hopeful that this isn't a long-term injury.

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