Nate Roberts
| AB | 630 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .313 |
| OBP | .447 |
| SLG | .462 |
| HR | 11 |
- Full name Nathaniel J. Roberts
- Born 02/25/1989 in Park Ridge, IL
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School High Point
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Drafted in the 5th round (165th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2010 (signed for $149,400).
View Draft Report
Roberts had a big junior season, earning All-America honors while batting .416/.573/.746 with 19 home runs and 36 stolen bases. Scouts were concerned that he lacks a standout tool and for some teams he was considered more of a senior sign. Others saw four solid-average tools, with an arm that could play in right, with only a vulnerability to velocity inside to be most concerned about.
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Roberts went to three colleges in three years. He hit .311 as a freshman at Northwestern, then transferred to Parkland (Ill.) JC and batted .515 to lead the Cobras to the 2009 Division II Junior College World Series championship. He turned down the Rays in the 48th round that summer and moved on to High Point, where he hit his way into the fifth round of the 2010 draft by leading NCAA Division I with a .573 on-base percentage (helped by getting hit by 25 pitches) while adding 19 homers and 36 steals. Roberts has spent his two full pro seasons in low Class A because he missed half of 2011 with a knee injury and started late in 2012 because of shoulder and elbow problems. He hasn't had a major surgery but has missed development time. An injury opened an opportunity for him, however, when he replaced a dinged-up Joe Benson in the Arizona Fall League after the 2012 season. Roberts won the AFL's slash-stats triple crown with a .446/.565/.662 line. He has a loose, line-drive swing and stays short to the ball, making him a strong fastball hitter who can catch up to good velocity. He excels at getting on base and continues to rack up hit-by-pitches, with 30 in 95 games last year (including the AFL). Roberts lacks the leverage or torque in his swing to hit for enough power to profile as a starter on an outfield corner, and he's a modest defender whose average speed doesn't fit in center field. He does have excellent baserunning instincts, ranking second in the Twins system with 27 steals in just 76 games last year. His arm strength is fringy. Roberts isn't a typical outfield prospect, but his hitting results aren't typical either. The AFL may give a kick-start to a player who will open 2013 in Double-A as a 24-year-old who has yet to play a full, healthy season as a pro.
