Kristian Robinson makes case for 40-man roster spot in Arizona Fall League
After hitting .319 with a home run, 9 stolen bases, and a .854 OPS, the former top prospect has forced a tough roster decision for the Diamondbacks.
The Diamondbacks sent outfielder Kristian Robinson to the Arizona Fall League. Robinson, 23, was coming off a disappointing season with Double-A Amarillo, hitting .214 with just 11 home runs and a .687 OPS in 110 games. Given the trajectory of his career, it had the makings of a potential last opportunity for the former top prospect to get a chance to be added to the D-backs 40-man roster.
Robinson is eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, with scouts from all 30 organizations likely taking a close look at him in the fall league. If left unprotected, there’s a solid chance he gets selected by another team.
“I think I’ve done what I can control. Obviously I can handle what else happens. I think I’ve made my case, the turnaround on the season, all the progress that’s been made. I hope that’s been noticed and it’s been acknowledged. I’m content with what I’ve done this previous year.”
In the fall league, Robinson put up solid numbers, batting .319 with a home run, nine steals, and a .854 OPS in 19 games. His strikeout rate, which was at 35.7% in the regular season, dropped to 27.8% in Arizona.
“I think I learned a lot,” said Robinson. “Definitely enjoyed it, enjoyed being around the different group of guys and hearing different points of view from the coaching staff.”
It was a step in the right direction for the young outfielder. Once signed out of the Bahamas for $2.5 million, Robinson’s career was put on hold for three seasons due to a felony assault charge. He didn’t return to affiliated ball until May 2023, and it’s been an accelerated program as the organization faces a difficult decision.
The biggest area of concern in Robinson’s development is the swing-and-miss aspect of his game, something that he acknowledged as the most important thing to improve on.
“Definitely at the plate, first and foremost, is the contact. Cutting down the strikeout rate, obviously that’s a big hole in my game right now. It’s restricting me from unlocking some weapons as a player.”
While he isn’t necessarily a free-swinger, he has a hole against fastballs at the top bar of the strike zone. For a player with great bat speed, it’s a sore spot for a player capable of doing a lot of damage at the plate. Another area of concern is a low launch angle. Robinson is hitting the ball hard throughout the fall league but has trouble lifting the ball in the air.
Paid subscribers can check out my report on Robinson, Tommy Troy, and Gino Groover’s batted ball metrics.
Robinson’s future with the Diamondbacks will likely be decided ahead of the Tuesday’s 6:00 P.M. deadline.
Michael McDermott 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. You can follow him on X at x.com/michaelmcdmlb or at Bluesky.