Miami thrilled with 'one of a kind' SS Arquette, taken with No. 7 pick

Growing up, Aiva Arquette would hear stories about his great-grandfather.

William "Bill" Azevedo was a Minor Leaguer for the San Francisco Seals but passed away when Arquette was younger, so his grandmother would share memories.

After the Marlins selected Arquette with the seventh overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday night, the family baseball legacy can continue with him.

"Once I got drafted, she told me, ‘He's smiling up there,’” said Arquette, who celebrated back home in Hawaii with close family and friends. “So I'm just happy. I'm just happy I can do it for my family.”

MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 prospect and the top collegiate position player, Arquette had a breakout campaign in his first season with Oregon State after spending his first two years of college with the University of Washington. In 65 games, the Beavers shortstop hit .354/.461/.654 with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs -- both second most for an Oregon State club that made it to the College World Series.

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Arquette garnered a multitude of accolades for his performance, including Perfect Game All-America Second Team and Baseball America All-America Second Team. He also was named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award (player who best exhibits exceptional on-field ability and exemplary sportsmanship), the Dick Howser Trophy (national college baseball player of the year) and the Brooks Wallace Award (best shortstop).

"I'm very excited right now because we just drafted the best college position player in the Draft, Aiva Arquette,” president of baseball operations Peter Bendix said. “I think he's a guy who can do a lot of different things: play shortstop, really, really, hit, great person, and somebody that really is exactly what we were looking for and hoping for in this Draft.”

The 21-year-old Arquette was previously selected in the 18th round by the D-backs in the 2022 Draft out of Saint Louis High School, where he ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the state of Hawaii by Perfect Game. A three-sport athlete (baseball, football, basketball), Arquette was also the 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year in basketball.

Following his prep career, Arquette played in 63 games across two seasons at Washington, batting .311 and being named to the All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 Defensive Team as a sophomore.

"I think for me, I wanted to bring up my walks, cut my strikeout-to-walk ratio down, so I worked on that,” said Arquette, who had a 16.5% strikeout rate and a 12.6% walk rate in 2025. “I did it, and kind of just wanted to hit the ball hard.”

Arquette developed into a 6-foot-5, 220-pounder – yet another bigger shortstop who can make it work thanks to excellence on both sides of the ball and strong athleticism for his size. While Arquette has a ways to go to join the company of other taller MLB shortstops -- such as Elly De La Cruz, Corey Seager and Gunnar Henderson -- he has a well-balanced skillset that could see him move quickly to the Majors.

According to Pipeline, Arquette grades as a 50 or better on the 20-80 scouting scale on each of his five tools. While he doesn’t grade as elite in any one area, Arquette is your classic player whose whole is greater than the sum of his parts. Because he seemingly has a high floor and can produce on both sides of the ball, he was widely seen as one of the safest picks to reach the Majors and make a meaningful impact.

"It's probably the combination of physicality and athleticism,” director of amateur scouting Frankie Piliere said. “Players who can move that well, at that size, and also, of course, impact the baseball, it's a rare combination, and it's the types of players I think that you see that are stars in the Major Leagues, those rare combinations that can do those things. That's how we view Aiva, as a player that can do that.

“He's quick on his feet, he has power, he can move well at shortstop, and he's extremely physical while doing it. That's a rare combo. I'll probably end up saying that a lot over the next few days, few weeks here, but it's rare, and that's why we're so excited.”

Piliere wouldn’t speculate as to what level Arquette would place in to begin his professional career once he signs (slot value $7.15 million), but he could move quickly if he performs.

Miami’s farm system features just two Top 30 middle-infield prospects in the upper levels: Double-A Pensacola’s Jared Serna (No. 14) and Triple-A Jacksonville’s Maximo Acosta (No. 18).

When asked if he had a comparison for Arquette, Piliere instead offered glowing praise.

"I might say he's one of a kind,” Piliere said. “He's a different kind of player, a 6-foot-5 right-handed-hitting shortstop. There's only big names out there. I won't put that on the young man's shoulder, but we think he has a chance to be a very special player.”