Kristian Robinson goes untouched in Rule 5 Draft

The Diamondbacks gamble to leave the talented outfielder off the 40-man roster pays off

The Rule 5 Draft has passed and no players in the Diamondbacks organization were selected, in both the major league and minor league phases. That means Kristian Robinson will likely be at Salt River Fields when camp opens in February.

Robinson has slowly acclimated to life as a professional baseball player after missing three years of development. He struggled mightily with Double-A Amarillo but slashed .254/.372/.445 with 9 home runs in his 56 games and carried that momentum into the Arizona Fall League.

The main issue with his bat is his tendency to hit low-liners and ground balls. With raw power being his carrying tool, that is a bit of a concern and could limit his impact to a fourth outfielder. That’s still an excellent outcome for the D-backs, who have a very left-hand-heavy outfield.

Robinson defensively is best suited to play a corner outfield spot. With a good 2025 season, he could find himself back on the 40-man roster and making his major league debut.

Related: Full Rule 5 Draft Results Here

In the minor league phase, the Diamondbacks took catcher Drake Osborn from the Mets’ Double-A affiliate. Osborn is a light bat, save for a 59 PA sample from High-A to begin 2024. At 26 years old, he’s not more than minor league depth in the system.

Michael McDermott is a Contributor to FanSided’s MLB coverage on Call to the Pen, Venom Strikes, Dodgers Way, and Friars on Base. He has been writing about the Arizona Diamondbacks, and their minor league system, for 9 seasons for AZ Snake Pit, Diamondbacks on SI, and Burn City Sports.