Jonathan Arauz Stats & Scouting Report

AB	62
AVG	.194
OBP	.301
SLG	.29
HR	1

Full name Jonathan Aldair Araúz
Born 08/03/1998 in Alanje, Panama
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: S / Throws: R
Debut 07/24/2020

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

TRACK RECORD: Arauz signed with the Phillies in 2014 and was traded to the Astros after the 2015 season as a low-level throw-in in the deal that sent Ken Giles to Houston. He was suspended for a drug of abuse in his second season with the Astros, then was selected by Boston in the 2019 Rule 5 draft. He made his big league debut on July 24 and got into 25 games with the Red Sox.

SCOUTING REPORT: In 2020, Arauz lived up to his reputation as a light-hitting infielder who can play on both sides of the keystone. His average exit velocity was 85.3 mph, which would have ranked among the lowest figures in the game if he had garnered more at-bats. He saw action at shortstop, second base, third base and DH over the course of the season. Arauz is not particularly fleet of foot, and his sprint speed of 25.9 feet per second ranked in the 28th percentile of qualified big leaguers.

THE FUTURE: Arauz's role in 2020 was roughly the same as what he'll play in 2021 barring an injury to a Red Sox regular infielder. The key difference is that with his Rule 5 restrictions lifted he may be optioned to the minor leagues.
Track Record: Arauz's career has already been quite eventful. He was traded from the Phillies to the Astros in the Ken Giles trade and introduced himself to his new club inauspiciously by being suspended 50 games after testing positive for methamphetamine. After an excellent first half at low Class A Midwest League, he was the worst hitter in the high Class A Carolina League in the second half of the season.

Scouting Report: Arauz was viewed as more of a bat-first middle infielder who might be stretched at shortstop when he signed. Now, he's improved his glove but faces questions about how much he'll hit. At his best, Arauz shows fringe-average power to go with solid ability to manipulate the barrel. Arauz showed little ability to make adjustments from at-bat to at-bat, and when he did make contact, they were defensive swings that did no damage. Defensively, he has improved, showing a better first step and soft hands to go with excellent timing and an average arm. He is an average runner.

The Future: The Astros opted not to add Arauz to the 40-man roster, taking the risk that Arauz's not-nearly-ready bat would keep teams from picking him in the Rule 5 draft. He needs to return to high Class A to work on putting together better at-bats.
Understandably it was not the headline portion of the Ken Giles trade, but the Phillies and Astros pulled off an Arauz for Arauz swap, as the Phillies sent Jonathan Arauz, a shortstop, to Houston for Harold Arauz, a righthander. The Astros' Arauz acquisition has been a fast-mover, but he hit a pothole in 2017 as he was suspended 50 games after testing positive for a methamphetamine. The Astros had him posted to their low Class A Quad Cities roster at the time of the suspension, which allowed him to get back into action in June instead of August. After posting low averages but generally holding his own with Quad Cities, he went down to short-season Tri-City, a better fit considering his age. The switch-hitter has a very good understanding of how to work counts for his age and draws his walks with excellent ability to make contact. There's some nascent power potential in the bat as well, which gives him a shot to hit for average with 10-15 home run power one day. Arauz is primarily a shortstop for now, but his limited range could eventually lead to a move to second or third base. He has a good understanding of game situations and a well-calibrated internal clock. He's an average runner with an average arm. Arauz is ready for full-season ball. He's more solid than spectacular, but there's enough there to be a offensive middle infielder.
The Phillies signed Arauz for $600,000, then bundled him with closer Ken Giles after the 2015 season in a trade with the Astros that sent Vince Velasquez, Mark Appel and three others to Philadelphia. Arauz held his own at Rookie-level Greeneville in 2016 as one of the younger players in the Appalachian League. He lacks a clear plus tool, though his arm is above-average, but his well-rounded skill set gives him a chance to be an average hitter with gap power and a solid if unspectacular up-the-middle defender. There's nothing flashy about Arauz, and he is not as quick-twitch as many shortstops. That said, he shows good instincts, a solid internal clock and good hands at shortstop, giving him a chance to be an average defender. At the plate his lefthanded swing is a little better than his righthanded swing, but both are similar and straightforward. He's an average runner. Arauz will play most of the 2017 season as an 18-year-old, possibly at short-season Tri-City if the Astros don't want him to double up with Miguelangel Sierra.
The 16-year-old Arauz signed out of Venezuela in 2014 for a bonus of $600,000. He played well in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League during his pro debut season of 2015. Scouts saw an instinctual defender at shortstop with above-average range and an average arm for the position. He's not flashy, but Arauz's feel for the game helps him get the job done in the field. At the plate, the switch-hitter makes plenty of hard, line-drive contact. His power grades as below-average, but he finds the gaps often enough to not be a liability. Arauz hit two home runs in 2015 and, as managers like to say, he has just enough power to get himself in trouble when he begins selling out to pull the ball. He's an average runner. The Phillies have been aggressive with young, talented players in the past--for example, Domingo Santana and Carlos Tocci both played at low Class A Lakewood as 17-year-olds--so a jump to the South Atlantic League in 2016 is not out of the question for Arauz. A return to extended spring training and then short-season Williamsport appears more likely.

Minor League Top Prospects

Had Arauz been born a month later, he would have been part of the 2015 international signing class. Instead the Phillies signed him last year for $600,000 (the highest bonus for a Panamanian player in 2014) and sent him to the GCL, where he played most of the year as a 16-year-old and was hitting .284/.333/.461 at the end of July before tiring in August. Arauz grew up playing a lot of games in Panama, which is evident in his high baseball IQ. He's a switch-hitter with a line-drive stroke that's more advanced from the left side. He makes consistent contact with gap power, though he showed some sneaky pop in the GCL that should improve with natural strength progression. Along with teammate Arquimedez Gamboa, Arauz flipped back and forth between shortstop and second base. Gamboa is the twitchier, toolsy athlete but Arauz is the more polished player. Arauz isn't flashy, but he fields shortstop well with smooth hands, good anticipation and a solid-average arm, making just three errors all season. He's a below-average runner with a thick lower half and doesn't have great range, so some scouts prefer him at second base.

Scouting Reports

TRACK RECORD: Arauz signed with the Phillies in 2014 and was traded to the Astros after the 2015 season as a low-level throw-in in the deal that sent Ken Giles to Houston. He was suspended for a drug of abuse in his second season with the Astros, then was selected by Boston in the 2019 Rule 5 draft. He made his big league debut on July 24 and got into 25 games with the Red Sox.

SCOUTING REPORT: In 2020, Arauz lived up to his reputation as a light-hitting infielder who can play on both sides of the keystone. His average exit velocity was 85.3 mph, which would have ranked among the lowest figures in the game if he had garnered more at-bats. He saw action at shortstop, second base, third base and DH over the course of the season. Arauz is not particularly fleet of foot, and his sprint speed of 25.9 feet per second ranked in the 28th percentile of qualified big leaguers.

THE FUTURE: Arauz's role in 2020 was roughly the same as what he'll play in 2021 barring an injury to a Red Sox regular infielder. The key difference is that with his Rule 5 restrictions lifted he may be optioned to the minor leagues.
TRACK RECORD: Arauz signed with the Phillies in 2014 and was traded to the Astros after the 2015 season as a low-level throw-in in the deal that sent Ken Giles to Houston. He was suspended for a drug of abuse in his second season with the Astros, then was selected by Boston in the 2019 Rule 5 draft. He made his big league debut on July 24 and got into 25 games with the Red Sox.

SCOUTING REPORT: In 2020, Arauz lived up to his reputation as a light-hitting infielder who can play on both sides of the keystone. His average exit velocity was 85.3 mph, which would have ranked among the lowest figures in the game if he had garnered more at-bats. He saw action at shortstop, second base, third base and DH over the course of the season. Arauz is not particularly fleet of foot, and his sprint speed of 25.9 feet per second ranked in the 28th percentile of qualified big leaguers.

THE FUTURE: Arauz's role in 2020 was roughly the same as what he'll play in 2021 barring an injury to a Red Sox regular infielder. The key difference is that with his Rule 5 restrictions lifted he may be optioned to the minor leagues.