Reds prospect Edwin Arroyo earns WBC honor but it comes with hidden cost

The World Baseball Classic is set to get underway next month, and it's a tremendous honor to be selected to represent one's country on the biggest stage in the sport. But for Cincinnati Reds prospect Edwin Arroyo, that comes with a price. Though his odds of breaking camp with the big-league club were slim, now that he's off to play in the WBC, he has virtually no chance to be part of the Reds Opening Day roster.

Arroyo joined a handful of Reds players — including newly signed slugger Eugenio Suárez — who were selected to participate in this year's WBC. Arroyo will be part of Team Puerto Rico, Suárez will join Team Venezuela, and four of the Reds' minor-leaguers will be playing for various teams in the tournament.

But while Arroyo is off playing the WBC, the rest of the players who are vying for a spot on the Reds Opening Day roster will be in camp trying to impress the coaching staff. After trading Gavin Lux to the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this offseason, there's an argument to be made that Cincinnati needs a backup middle infielder on the roster heading into 2026.

Edwin Arroyo's particiaption in the World Baseball Classic likely takes him out of the Reds Opening Day picture

The Reds have Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain slated to play up the middle, and president of baseball operations Nick Krall recently said that he expects Spencer Steer and Sal Stewart to receive reps at second base this spring. The Reds also have non-roster invites Michael Chavis and Garrett Hampson in camp.

Arroyo shouldn't be accosted or shamed for his decision to join Team Puerto Rico. These opportunities don't come along very often, and it's quite likely that all of the insurance controversy opened the door for the Reds prospect to join the team.

Once he returns from the WBC, Arroyo will have a chance to impress the coaching staff, but his ticket to Triple-A Louisville will likely have already been printed. Barring a catastrophic injury during spring training, it was going to be an uphill battle for Arroyo to make the Opening Day roster, but his decision to participate in the WBC likely sealed the deal.