Following a season lost to injury, Chattanooga Lookouts shortstop Edwin Arroyo had one focus in particular heading into 2025.
Stay healthy.
In the second game of the season, a Saturday night on the road against the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Arroyo hit a sharp line drive to the gap in left-center field. He rounded first base and pushed for second as center fielder Nelson Rada cut the ball off, whirled and threw to the second baseman covering the bag, anticipating a close play.
It was anything but. Christian Moore received the throw on a knee and whipped around, expecting to see Arroyo diving head-first into the base. Instead, he had to wait for Arroyo, who had slowed up and gingerly limped into the awaiting tag.
For the Lookouts and the Cincinnati Reds — the parent club of Chattanooga’s Double-A Southern League team — the play was cause for concern. Arroyo is ranked as one of the top five prospects in the Reds’ minor league system, an athletic, versatile middle infielder who hits from both sides of the plate.