Yankees' Roderick Arias: Struggling to make contact
Rotowire
Arias is hitting .211 with a .349 OBP, two home runs, seven steals and a 35.6 percent strikeout rate in 32 games for Single-A Tampa.
Arias turns 20 in September, so he's at a level he should be able to have success at, but thus far the concerns about his contact rate in rookie ball have proven valid. His contact rate is below 60 percent in his first taste of full-season ball, and the only reason he's been better than league average (108 wRC+) is that his 16.1 percent walk rate is the 12th-best mark in the Florida State League.
Arias may need season-ending surgery on his hand, John Brophy of PinstripedPros.com reports.
He dealt with a thumb injury last year in his first pro season, which affected his performance in the Dominican Summer League. Arias flashed his upside prior to this year's injury, slashing .267/.423/.505 with six home runs and 17 steals while walking (27) almost as much as he struck out (29) in 27 games. He turns 19 in September and should head to Single-A Tampa for his full-season debut in 2024.
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Yankees' Roderick Arias: Slugging, running in FCL
Rotowire
Arias is slashing .274/.426/.526 with six home runs, 14 steals and as many walks as strikeouts (25) in 25 Florida Complex League games.
A prized seven-figure signee in last year's international signing class, Arias is meeting or perhaps even exceeding expectations in his stateside debut. His 20.5 percent strikeout rate is perfectly adequate for an 18-year-old who is doing damage in the FCL, and he should get a bump to Single-A in the coming weeks.
