BISCUITS OPENER: Arruda arrives as playoff streak comes to an end

Biscuit infielder J.T. Arruda was signed in August and has made a postive impression on the Montgomery coaching staff. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

The Montgomery Biscuits are officially out of the running for the Southern League playoffs, a first since 2016.

A combination of inconsistent pitching and untimely hitting played the role which led to the end of a 10-year streak of postseason play.

Ironically, the Biscuits signed a minor-league journeyman who had seen just about all sides of baseball, including a stint at the Triple A level and the release from several teams over the past few years.

It was early August and J.T. Arruda had been released by the Arkansas Travelers and returned home to his native California. He wasn’t sure what was coming next, but he was fairly certain it didn’t involve baseball. 

“I think it was a weird time to get released,” he said. “I got released because of the draft. There’s only a limited number of roster spots so I was released because of that. The (trade) deadline happened and I didn’t hear anything, so I did interviews for sales jobs. I had a few interviews, a few dinners. I got a call (from Tampa Bay) after the deadline and I took it.

“I think my mind had probably shifted more into I’m going to go get a job more than baseball, especially after the deadline. Maybe (the door) is shut. So, yeah, it was a little surprising. I’m super grateful. Once this door closes, it closes forever so you’ve got to take advantage of the small opportunities that you get. 

Before the call from the Rays, he had absolutely no idea what his future would hold. He had a business-related background from Fresno State but wasn’t sure what field he wanted to explore for future employment. 

“I try to keep connections with as many people as I know,” Arruda said. “I’m not super set on one particular job. I think the right opportunity comes with good people so I just try to have as many conversations as I can with the people I know.”

Arruda, 28, is a well traveled baseball player at every level. An 11th-round draft pick of the Washington Nationals in 2019, his first stop was with the Class A Auburn Doubledays that year before spending parts of 2021 and 2022 with the Fredericksburg Nationals. He also played with the Wilmington Blue Rocks in 2021. After Fredericksburg, he spent part of the next three years at the Double-A Harrisburg Senators in the Eastern League before being promoted in 2025 to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. 

“I’ve been with the Nationals, didn’t get signed back by the Nationals,” Arruda said. “I’ve been with the Mariners, got released. It’s true when they say every day could be your last and I think that’s something you learn as you go. When you first get drafted, you’re in the lull of every day you’re doing the same thing, you’re doing your routine. Some guys are better at it than others, some guys learn as they go. I’ve had to learn you can’t take any day for granted. You’ve got to go out there and push and do your job and hopefully a 10-year career follows. If not, you can hang your hat on the fact that you gave it everything you’ve got.”

What makes the story even more intriguing is his 2025 career included 69 days at Triple-A Rochester, yet he was out of baseball less than a year later.

“Baseball’s hard,” Arruda said. “There’s no telling where you’ll be the next day. I’ve been all over the place and I’m just happy to be here. You try to be as day to day as you can. You try to be where your feet are. The stuff you can’t control, you really just can’t control. The front office guys, that’s their job. My job is to show up and do what I do every day.”

Montgomery manager Kevin Boles has no complaints. 

“We’re very lucky to have him,” he said. “He’s plays three positions -- shortstop, second base and third base. He’s a switch hitter who puts the ball in play. He’s been terrific in the clubhouse. He and (pitcher Justin) Yeager, the two (August) additions, have done a great job. I was shocked we were able to get both of these guys. They’ve been terrific.

“J.T. is seamless, like he’s been in the organization for a year already. He’s been comfortable and very approachable to the guys. You see guys like this that have been out of a job for a while and it’s shocking to me. The quality of play we’ve seen so far, the makeup, everything about him, has been terrific.”

As August came to an end, Arruda was hitting the ball at a .281 clip, better than any of his previous six stops. He batted .250 with five home runs and 44 hits in Triple-A in 2025, but doesn’t think playing at the highest level of minor-league ball helped him in his future Double-A stops in Little Rock and Montgomery. 

“I wouldn’t say it’s an advantage,” he said. “The more baseball you play, the more you learn from your mistakes. It’s a game of failure and I’ve failed a ton. I’ve been in the minor leagues, this is Year Eight now. I’ve failed more times than a lot of people in this league. If that’s an advantage, I get to learn from a lot of those.”

If there’s one word that comes up in almost every sentence from J.T. Arruda, it’s grateful. Grateful to still be playing, grateful to be surrounded by friendly faces in the dugout, grateful to have another opportunity in a game he’s enjoyed all his life.

“I think every day could be your last shot,” Arruda said. “You’ve got to approach it like every day is your last, give it everything you’ve got. It’s one of those things you just can’t control. You try to do the best you can and if the opportunity is there, it’s there.

“(I’m just grateful for) the good Lord above, He keeps pushing me in ways I can’t describe. I have a family, a wife and two kids, so I wake up every day and just try to do my part to provide for them. This is the way I know how to do it. Just keep pushing.”

The Biscuits finish out the home portion of the 2026 schedule this week with a six-game slate against Columbus. Tickets are available at biscuitsbaseball.com.