Arias was drafted by the California Angels in the seventh round of the 1993 draft after graduating from the University of Arizona. He made his major league debut in 1996, and played 84 games, hitting .238 with seven home runs and 28 RBI. He went back and forth between the majors and minor leagues after that, and was traded to the San Diego Padres during the 1997 season. He played with the Padres until 1999, before joining the Orix BlueWave.