Tyler Robertson Stats & Scouting Report

IP	26
ERA	5.538
WHIP	1.385
BB/9	4.846
SO/9	9.692

Full name Tyler Patrick Robertson
Born 12/23/1987 in Simi Valley, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 285 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Bella Vista
Debut 06/26/2012
Drafted in the 3rd round (96th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2006 (signed for $405,000).

View Draft Report

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Robertson was continuing a strong senior season in the regional playoffs in California, striking out 13 in a recent start. That's shy of his 2005 efforts, when he had one 10-inning playoff shutout with 17 strikeouts. He's signed to Cal State Fullerton, signaling the well-regarded football quarterback's intention to focus on baseball. He likely would pitch in the Titans rotation next season as a freshman if he doesn't sign in the draft. He has good size, throws strikes from the left side and has a good curveball that could be a plus major league pitch to go with an 88-90 mph fastball. His father Jay scouts for the Rangers and has raised his son around the game. Those are the obvious strengths. The weakness is hard for scouts to describe, but everyone agrees Robertson is unorthodox. Some describe his delivery as funky, others are ugly. After he begins his windup, Robertson's left arm, in the words of one scout, plunges straight down. He then brings the arm back up and goes to the plate. While he repeats the arm action, it's hard for scouts to project Robertson improving his stuff much. Overhauling his mechanics could cost him development time, but with his size and resume it might be worth it.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Twins' pitching-development philosophy was bound to change with Rick Knapp leaving to become the Tigers' big league pitching coach. His replacement, Eric Rasmussen, is more flexible about long-toss programs, which is music to Robertson's ears. His father Jay brought new pitching ideas to the Rangers as a scout before moving on to work as a special assistant to Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo, and Tyler was a long-toss devotee as an amateur. Keeping to Minnesota's 120-foot dictum as a pro, his arm strength has dipped a bit, though one club official says Robertson never was expected to have plus velocity. He has adjusted, creating angle on his fastball and pitching downhill from his 6-foot-5 frame. His funky arm action scares off some scouts but also creates deception. He sits at 85-88 mph and touches 90-91 with his fastball, pounding the bottom of the strike zone. His curveball is his best pitch and baffles lefthanders, who batted just .197/.292/.268 against him in 2009. His slider is more of a cutter and helps him work inside. He also throws a changeup, which would have greater effect if it had more separation from his fastball. Robertson emade every start at Fort Myers last year. He'll move up to Double-A for 2010, and the Twins will see if long-tossing will bring back some of Robertson's lost velocity.
Robertson thrived in low Class A in 2007, and the son of Rangers scout Jay Robertson seemed primed to break out further last season. Instead, his velocity dropped all spring, to the point where he was throwing in the low 80s. Diagnosed with shoulder tendinitis, he didn't pitch after July 7 and hadn't regained sufficient arm strength to get back on the mound in instructional league. At his best, Robertson throws four pitches for strikes, including an average 88-92 mph fastball, a plus slider, a solid-average curveball and an average changeup. He's a student of the game and hard worker who knows how to use his stuff better than most pitchers his age. Robertson's stiff arm action has concerned scouts since high school, and his tendinitis this summer won't quiet that chorus. Even the Twins admit his arm action limits his projection despite his big, physical body. At best, he has lost development time. At worst, there's no guarantee his arm strength will return to its previous peak. Eric Rasmussen was his pitching coach at Fort Myers in 2008, and now he's in charge of getting Robertson back up to speed as the organization's pitching coordinator. A healthy Robertson would be the Twins' top starting pitching prospect, and he could move to Double-A if he shows his old stuff.
Robertson's father Jay, a longtime scout, is a special assistant to Rangers general manager Jon Daniels. The Twins started Tyler in extended spring training in 2007, but when a rotation spot opened in low Class A, he seized the opportunity and became Beloit's ace. He struck out 20 in two Midwest League playoff starts spanning 12 innings. Big and physical, Robertson attacks hitters with two average or better pitches. His sinking fastball touches 92-93 mph and his hard slider is the best in the system. His delivery adds deception. Minnesota says his makeup separates Robertson, a baseball rat who studies hitters but doesn't overthink. Robertson's fastball velocity was inconsistent all year, often sitting at 86-90 mph with his fastball, and even the Twins agree his stiff arm action precludes significant projection. They don't consider his delivery stressful, however. He's still searching for a consistent third pitch. His advocates contend Robertson proved he could dominate without his best stuff. Skeptical scouts have turned him in as a lefty reliever. Minnesota is confident that he'll reach his No. 2 or 3 starter ceiling due to his makeup, and that he'll move quickly after starting 2008 in high Class A.
Robertson attracted plenty of attention as a high schooler, both as a pitcher and a quarterback, but a commitment to Cal State Fullerton signaled his intention to focus on baseball. He eschewed the Titans for a $405,000 signing bonus and knew what he was getting into, as his father Jay scouts for the Rangers and has raised his son around the game. Robertson has soaked up instruction and knows his body and delivery well, which is a good thing because others have a hard time describing what he does. Scouts agree Robertson is unorthodox, and as Twins roving pitching coordinator Rick Knapp puts it, "He doesn't look lefthanded. Go take a picture of a big righthander and look at it in the mirror--that's what he looks like." After he begins his windup, Robertson's left arm, in the words of one scout, plunges straight down. He then brings the arm back up and goes to the plate. While he repeats the arm action and it creates deception, it's stiff, and the Twins hope to loosen him up to give his pitches a bit more life. His stuff is already solid average, with a 90-91 mph fastball that touches 94 and a good curveball with depth. The Twins believe he's an important piece in increasing their depth of lefthanders and expect him to earn a spot in the low Class A rotation.

Minor League Top Prospects

As many teenage pitchers do, Robertson faced some adjustments in his first full year as a pro. Even after he spent the first two months in extended spring training, the grind of the longer season sapped some of the juice out of his fastball, which dropped from 90-94 mph as an amateur to 86-90 this year. The loss of velocity didn't faze Robertson, who had 143 strikeouts in 120 innings, including two stellar playoff starts. He piled up whiffs with a slider that he could get hitters to miss in the strike zone of chase off the plate. His big 6-foot-5 body gives him projection and good downward plane that creates a lot of groundballs. Robertson has an unorthodox, stiff delivery that works for him now but could lead to problems down the road. It's deceptive and throws hitters' timing off, though it also puts a lot of stress on his shoulder.