Overview
- Arias is overpowering Double-A pitching in late May with a .343 average, .415 on-base percentage, .664 slugging percentage and 12 home runs in 38 games for Portland.
- Keith Law ranked him No. 3 overall on his latest top-50 list, while MLB Pipeline still lists him among the game’s top prospects, reflecting a sharp boost in his standing.
- Scouts still view Arias as a true shortstop because of his excellent hands, range and a plus arm, while projecting 25-plus home run upside if his power holds.
- Arias added at least nine pounds in the offseason and changed his swing to elevate the ball, a shift that produced both more home runs and an unusually low strikeout rate this year.
- He won Double-A Eastern League Player of the Month for April, there is no official promotion yet, and the next signs to watch are a move to Triple-A or a Red Sox call-up.