Giants prospect Christian Arroyo turned some heads in just his second game as a major leaguer, when he smacked his first career hit off future Hall-of-Famer Clayton Kershaw.
It was just another moment in what has been an incredibly impressive 2017 so far for the 21-year-old, who posted a .446 average at Triple-A Sacramento before being called up. Not to add any pressure, but Arroyo is also wearing No.22, the number of former Giants’ legend Will Clark.
Clark had high praise for the youngster when he spoke to Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow.
“In talking with Will Clark the other day I asked him the same question,” Krukow said. “I said what have you got on this guy, I’ve probably seen him take 25 at-bats at spring training. What I like about him, I think he’s built for the high pitch and he’s a battler. He makes adjustments within the at-bat. What Will said was ‘look, you like Joe Panik?’ I do. He said, ‘he’s Joe Panik from the right side. He’s a contact guy, uses the whole field. He’s occasionally going to run into one, but he’s more of a doubles hitter than a home run hitter.’ He says, ‘look he’s a grinder, and if he has four at-bats in a game, he gets better with each at-bat. High IQ in the batter’s box and that will be another big, big part of why he’s gonna be successful up here. He makes adjustments. He’s not a guy that’s stubborn to a pitch or to a side of the plate, he makes adjustments and he’s a contact guy.”
Clark is not known to just throw praise around, and it’s a meaningful sentiment that Arroyo has his blessing to wear the iconic number.
“Based on that recommendation, and you know Will Clark’s an old schooler. He doesn’t give out recommendations unless they’re earned. So I think if you imagine Joe Panik from the right side that’s what we’re going to see.”
Listen to the full interview below