In his native state of Hawaii, Aiva Arquetteâ€s first name means “well skilled.â€
The Oregon State shortstop proved as much when the Marlins drafted him seventh overall in July, the first college position player off the board.
“Aiva has a good knack to make contact with any pitch,†OSU hitting coach Ryan Gipson said. “When you combine that with his consistent high exit velocity, you have a unicorn.â€
At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, Arquette has 60-grade power and arm strength. He popped 19 home runs and slugged .654 as a college junior.
Though he has 30-homer upside, Arquetteâ€s pro debut was not his best work. Granted, it was just 27 games for High-A Beloit following a long amateur season that included a trip to the College World Series.
In the Midwest League, the righthanded-hitting Arquette batted .242/.350/.323 with one homer and seven stolen bases.
Arquette said he enjoyed his initial pro experience, even though he learned about the grind.
“I had ups and downs,†Arquette said. “I had a week where I only had two hits. In college, you play four games a week. You have time to figure it out.
“In the pros, itâ€s every day.â€
Arquette comes from an athletic family. His sister Adrianna is a 5-foot-10 setter for the University of Hawaii volleyball team. Their mother Marisel ran track, and their dad Athens was a wide receiver at Menlo College, a Division II school in California.
Arquette grew up wanting to play for Oregon State. But when they didnâ€t pursue him out of high school, he landed at Washington, where he was productive in two years while missing time with knee and wrist injuries.
He spent one season in Corvallis after transferring. He was healthy and put it all together, earning his near $7.15 million bonus.
Oregon State coach Mitch Canham said nobody should bet against Arquette.
“As soon as he arrived on campus, everyone gravitated toward him,†Canham said. “He celebrated his teammates†accomplishments more than anyone Iâ€ve ever seen.â€
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