Five bold predictions for the Tampa Bay Rays 2019 season

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ANAHEIM, CA – MAY 18: As Christian Arroyo #21 of the Tampa Bay Rays scores from third as Martin Maldonado #12 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is charged with a missed catch error in the seventh inning at Angel Stadium on May 18, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Christian Arroyo will be manning the hot corner by the end of the year

In the first ever Rays Colored Podcast I said this very thing, that Christian Arroyo would end the year as the Tampa Bay Rays third basemen.

Arroyo came over in the deal that saw the Tampa Bay Rays ship off franchise pillar Evan Longoria to the San Fransico Giants.

Arroyo was selected with the 25th pick in the first round of the 2013 June Amatur Draft.

The 23 year old from Tampa Bay, Florida now playing for his hometown, was a highly touted prospect.

He has 178 career at bats in the big leagues, for a .213 average, and four home runs.

A year ago with the Rays, Arroyo posted a .264 average, with a .339 OBP, and six RBI’s. He only logged 20 games in the big leagues.

For his career in the minor leagues, Arroyo posts a .292/.337/.423 slash line.

Those numbers stand firm even after a dreadful 2018 that saw him hit for a .235 average in Durham.

So why all the optimism?

I think it a large part of it is his age, and the potential coming in. I could be wrong, but I feel like this is the year he puts it all together.

Well, what about Matt Duffy? Well, what about the scrappy veteran? I do not think Duffy is a good enough player to form a log jam for a highly talented prospect who you literally gave up the face of the franchise–and his contract–for.

Confidence scale: 4.5.