The Seattle Mariners top 100 prospect is receiving his first taste of big league action after years of impressive showings in the minor leagues.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Seattle Mariners 2026 campaign will likely go down as one of the most disappointing in team history. After entering the season as true World Series contenders, the Mariners are now guaranteed a losing record following a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday at Angel Stadium.
One of the few positives for the Mariners this season has been the surge of young talent, including top 100 prospects, that have had their first tastes of major league action.
Michael Arroyo is one such player.
The 44th-ranked prospect in baseball (per MLB Pipeline) had his contract selected from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on Sept 6. He received his call-up after being regarded as one of the best hitters in the team's farm system.
Arroyo was called up after posting a slash line of .283/.359/.471 with an .830 OPS across 114 games with the Rainiers and Double-A Arkansas Travelers. He hit 23 doubles, five triples and 18 home runs with 81 RBIs, and stole 17 bases in 21 attempts. He had a career slash line of .277/.396/.464 with an .860 OPS across 465 minor league games.
Arroyo has appeared in six games for Seattle since receiving his call-up. He's slashed .308/.444/.615 with a 1.059 OPS in 18 plate appearances and has hit a double and a home run with three RBIs. He's drawn four walks and has stolen a base.
"It's been really good," Arroyo said in an interview via translator Freddy Llanos before the game against the Angels on Tuesday. "I've been able to come up here, a lot of the vets (have) put their arms around me, kind of showing me the ways, giving me advice, making me feel comfortable, just kind of get adjusted to it. (I've been trying to) just listen and do my job while I'm up here."
Arroyo's bat was one tool to his game that wasn't in question when he received the call, but his position on defense was a bigger question mark.
The 21-year-old played mainly second base across his time in the minors, but has received the majority of his reps this year in left field. His ability to play either position, plus his natural ability as a designated hitter given his hit-tool, has left the M's with a variety of options regarding how to use him.
So far, with Cole Young entrenched at second base and Randy Arozarena in left field, Arroyo's been limited to four starts in his six appearances in the big leagues: two at designated hitter and another two at second base.
Arroyo has stayed ready for whatever role the team has planned for him that given day, and isn't stressed about the variance in his usage.
"It's not that hard," Arroyo said. "I think if someone really wants something and they're willing to do anything to do it, I think it's pretty easy and I've always had that mentality. ... With that approach, nothing has been really that difficult. Just going out there and go where they need me."
Arroyo's big league promotion came shortly after his friend, outfielder Lazaro Montes, received his major league call-up Sept. 1.
The two top 100 hitters were both international signings in the 2022 period, Montes out of Cuba and Arroyo out of Colombia. Since that point, they've started and ended each season at the same minor league affiliate. The pair's lockers are right next to each other in the visiting clubhouse at Angel Stadium. And now, they'll get to end the 2026 season together in the big leagues.
"It feels good (having him up here). I think that's where confidence kind of plays a role," Arroyo said. "You have a guy that you've kind of grown with, and taken every step here and every season, been promoted exactly the same. Just knowing that we've both been doing our jobs and being up here at the same time, kind of builds us that confidence that we're just kind of bouncing off each other."
Arroyo and Montes are just two players that have represented a surge of youth in the major league roster for the Mariners the last two seasons. This year, the team's top prospect at the beginning of 2026, Colt Emerson (who's currently out after undergoing season-ending wrist surgery), received his major league call-up as well. So did top pitching prospect Kade Anderson. Last year, Young, who was also a top 100 prospect, was moved to the bigs.
Per a post on "X" from Mariners PR, Seattle has an MLB-leading five players 22-years-old or younger to appear in a major league game this season. That list is comprised of Young, Emerson, Arroyo, Montes and Anderson.
Several veteran players on the team, such as three-time All-Star Arozarena and shortstop/third baseman J.P. Crawford, are set to hit free agency after this year. Starting pitcher and 2024 All-Star Logan Gilbert is currently set to hit the open market after 2027.
Coming off a losing season and with those players' futures with the club still in doubt, Arroyo's development with the rest of this young players is all the more paramount.
"Definitely means a lot," Arroyo said. "Colt's is a great guy. Great teammate, great player. But just having that core of young guys, and having the vets and the way they've embraced us, I think that's the key to having such a great team and a lot of great chemistry. The confidence that they give us, my confidence, really elevates us (when we) come up here."
