Carlos Arroyo’s current position with the Phillies is entitled Roving Pitching Coach but he’s served in numerous ways over a very distinguished career. He began as a pitcher with the Phillies after signing as a 15 year old out of Vega Alta, Puerto Rico two weeks before his next birthday.
1975 began the playing part of his career as he was the opening day starter as a 16 year old for the Pulaski Phillies ( rookie Appalachian League ). 😳 In 1976 he moved up to single A Spartanburg and to High A Pennisula in 1977 where he made the league’s All Star team and was named the loop’s best left handed pitcher. In 1978 Carlos went 11-4 in 20 starts for AA Reading as a 19 year old. He would play the next three seasons at AAA Oklahoma City after converting to a reliever, becoming the closer for the 1980 squad with 13 saves while posting an 8-6 record in 46 games ( 92 IP ). He retired as a player after pitching in Mexico ( on loan from the Phillies ) in 1982 as a result of an elbow injury and became a coach in the Phillies Minor League Player Development group the following year.
The coaching portion of his career began with 1983 Extended Spring Training which was held in Sarasota at the time followed by an assignment to Bend as a member of the short season staff. In 1984 he was assigned to the Peninsula Pilots as Pitching Coach in the Carolina League and was one of only three minor league pitching coaches in the Phillies organization at the time.
In 1985 he coached at Spartanburg ( South Atlantic League ). From 1986 to 1987 he was the pitching coach for the Clearwater Phillies ( Florida State League ) and in 1988 served at AA Reading before moving to Battavia ( NY Penn League ) for the 1989 thru 1991 seasons. Carlos was back at AA level Reading from 1992 thru 1994.
A four year assignment followed in Martinsville ( Appalachian League ) from 1995 to 1998. In 1999 he was in Kannapolis, MD as the Pitching Coach for the Piedmont Boll Weevils of the single A South Atlantic League. He returned to Reading in 2000 to work with then skipper Gary Varsho thru 2001.
In 2001 he was also asked to be a mentor for RHP Vincenti Padilla with the big league club and served in that capacity for two seasons but continued thereafter to help various other Latin born pitchers acclimate to life in the big leagues. In 2002 Carlos took on the duties of assisting in the coordination of pitching instruction for the Phillies Dominican Republic and Venezuelan academies while also performing as pitching coach for the GCL Phillies from 2002 to 2009. Carlos became the minor league rehab Pitching Coach in 2010 and held that position thru the 2012 season.
In 2012 he was honored by the organization with the John Vukovich award which is given annually to an instructor that embodies the characteristics of the award’s namesake : loyalty, dedication, competitiveness, knowledge, honesty and a terrific work ethic. Well deserved 👍.
He’s been the minor league roving Pitching Coach since the 2013 season but took on extra duties in 2014 serving as the Phillies Minor League Pitching Coordinator before Rafael Chavez joined the organization in October.
His Phillies playing, coaching and coordinating career has spanned 46 years, the longest continuing tenure in the organization.
I have had the good fortune to be able to chat with Mr. Arroyo on multiple occasions at Carpenter Complex. I always walk away more knowledgeable about baseball with each encounter. In the current age of analytics there’s also a very important place for “old school” experience and dedicated baseball minds. From my observations the Phillies are a club that values blending multiple methods of instruction, the young pitchers in the organization are well situated to garner a tremendous education on all elements of pitching and even life values ... it’s all part of it.
Carlos told me that before he left Puerto Rico as a 16 year old he was given a few words of wisdom from his mother ... “Be kind and treat others with respect” ... values he continues to take to heart and that are certainly applicable to us all, especially as we encounter and address the struggles before us today ... definitely words to live by.
Happy Day, Happy Baseball ⚾️
Jim Gott, Dan Plesac and Carlos Arroyo - spring training photo