Kristian Robinson

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #30 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: The first big-dollar international signee of the Mike Hazen regime, Robinson rose quickly before legal issues stemming from an incident with a law-enforcement officer kept him off the field for three years. He returned to playing in May 2023 and showed flashes of the tremendous upside he once possessed. He hit .283/.352/.532 with 14 home runs in 65 games and rose to Double-A, but he also had a concerning 32% strikeout rate.
  
  Scouting Report: Robinson strides forward with a leg kick ahead of a compact, powerful swing. He can drive balls to all fields with authority; his 90th percentile exit velocity of 105.8 mph ranked near the top of the system. He also controlled the zone well and carried a 10% walk rate, but his swing comes with big holes. He swung and missed at a 40% clip, including a highly alarming 34% in-zone whiff rate. Offspeed stuff gives him the most trouble. Once seen as a possible center fielder, he played primarily corner outfield in 2023, showing good range and athleticism. He remains an above-average runner with plus arm strength.
  
  The Future: Robinson’s future does not appear as bright as it once did, but with all the rust he had to knock off, he might deserve slack for the deficiencies he showed in 2023. Still just 23, the 2024 season will be a decisive year in his development.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 40 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 60
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #13 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Robinson was viewed as perhaps the highest-upside position player in the D-backs system entering 2021, but it turned out to be a lost year due to legal issues stemming from a confrontation with a law enforcement officer in April 2020. Robinson pled to a felony assault charge in August 2021 and was sentenced to 18 months’ probation and 150 hours community service. With a felony on his record, his visa status was up in the air, putting him in limbo.
  
  Scouting Report: Robinson once was viewed as a potential five-tool player, with gobs of athleticism creating reason to dream on a massive upside despite some lack of refinement around his game. With the pandemic and his legal problems costing him two years’ development, his future is harder to predict than ever. Other than instructional league in 2020, when he swung and missed an alarming amount, he has been limited mostly to informal workouts at the team’s training facilities.
  
  The Future: The D-backs were hopeful he would get back on the field in 2022 and added him to the 40-man roster in November. He will be on the restricted list until he is cleared to resume his career.
  
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #4 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 45. Power: 70. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Robinson signed for $2.5 million in 2017 and quickly impressed the organization with his maturity, mindset and athleticism. He put together a strong season in the short-season Northwest League before a promotion to the low Class A Midwest League at age 18 in 2019, and he showed up to spring training in 2020 with a slimmed-down physique after experimenting with a paleo diet in the offseason. Robinson joined the alternate training site in August and finished the year in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Robinson’s natural athleticism, gargantuan raw power and plus speed give him the building blocks for massive upside. He does things few players can, including hitting a home run into the Chase Field pool area in three consecutive at-bats during alternate site play. But while his power and speed are undeniable, concerns about how often he swings and misses are starting to raise questions about his ability to reach his ceiling. He projects as a fringe-average hitter who strikes out often, though he’s still young and has relatively little experience against quality pitching coming from the Bahamas. He is a potential above-average defender in an outfield corner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Robinson was hurt by a lack of reps in 2020. He’ll look to make up for lost time in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #3 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Robinson received a $2.5 million bonus in 2017 and put his massive skill-set on display in the short-season Northwest League in 2019, dominating against much older competition. Playing the entire season at age 18, he reached low Class A for the final month of the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A physical specimen despite his age, Robinson has a chance for four plus tools, the exception being his arm. At the plate, he uses a simple stride with little movement in his setup followed by a compact swing. The raw power he generates is enormous, and he got to it often in games last season. Scouts are concerned by his strikeout total, but his chase rate is solid and his in-zone whiff rate isn't bad, either. He makes enough hard contact to offset the swing-and-miss in his game. Robinson gets good reads in center field, but scouts expect he will move to a corner once he fills out. He is mature for his age, a hard worker and routine-oriented. He has plus speed and stole bases at an 82 percent clip in Hillsboro.
  
  THE FUTURE: Given his loud tools, Robinson arguably has more potential than any player in the D-backs system. If he continues his upward trajectory, he could find himself among baseball's top prospects in short order.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #6 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Diamondbacks signed Robinson for $2.5 million in 2017 and fully expected his first season as a pro to begin in the Dominican Summer League. But he so impressed throughout the spring, with a mature approach on and off the field, that the club started him in the Rookie-level Arizona League, then pushed him to the Pioneer League to finish.
  
  Scouting Report: Robinson has a strong, physical build and looks far more developed than his age would suggest. He has good pitch-recognition skills and some feel to hit, though some scouts see him as a power-over-hit type for now. His power could be huge, and he showed signs of tapping into it in 2018, driving balls to all fields. Given that he's a native of the Bahamas and had limited exposure to tough pitching as an amateur, he might have even more room to grow than others his age. He has the instincts, speed and athleticism to stick in center field, but his ultimate home could depend on how his body develops.
  
  The Future: Though he has a long way to go, the sky is the limit in terms of Robinson's upside. Some see flashes of Andruw Jones or Adam Jones if he can remain in center, while others see his physical development turning him into a Jermaine Dye or Jorge Soler type on a corner. If he doesn't open in low Class A Kane County, he'll likely get there at some point early in the 2019 season.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #11 prospect in 2018
  The D-backs liked what they saw when they first laid eyes on Robinson during a 2015 showcase for fellow Bahamian Lucius Fox--the same workout they discovered shortstop Jazz Chisholm. Their conviction in Robinson grew after seeing him perform well the following year at the Perfect Game World Wood Bat Championship against players two years his senior. They wound up signing him for $2.5 million on July 2, the fourth-highest bonus in the 2017 class. Robinson, a product of the Maximum Development academy in Nassau, has the size and strength to make him a physical specimen at any age, but especially at 16, and he has premium athleticism to go with it. It runs in his family, as his grand-uncle, Thomas Robinson, is a four-time track-and-field Olympian who has a stadium named after him in Nassau. Robinson has the potential to be a five-tool player with plus raw power. He can handle velocity and the D-backs like the way he tracks offspeed pitches. He's a plus runner who has a chance to stay in center field, though his physical maturation could determine if he ends up in a corner. Given that he's coming out of the Bahamas rather than, say, the Dominican Republic or Venezuela, many view Robinson's profile as even riskier than other teenage international signees. But no one denies the physical tools needed to potentially grow into a star.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Northwest League #1 prospect in 2019
  The easy call for the league’s top prospect, Robinson was the first player on the lips of every opposing manager and scout who saw him play. He thoroughly dominated the league as one of its youngest players before earning an August promotion to low Class A Kane County. Robinson has the makings of at least a four-tool player with a chance for a full five-tool complement with an improved throwing arm. "The concern with him is the strikeout rate,” one scout said, "but the biggest positive with him is the value he provides in multiple ways. . . . He’s a freak.” Robinson has the actions and instincts to stick in center field, has turned in plus run times of 4.1 seconds to first base, and showed at least double-plus raw power. He got to that power frequently in games, too, including nine home runs that tied him for second in the league. One of those home runs was measured at 470 feet.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #6 prospect in 2018
  Already possessing a mature, strong body, Robinson projects as a power-oriented hitter with questions remaining as to how the hit tool will develop. He has a good feel for the strike zone and some feel to hit but needs to get more consistent with barrel contact to get to his plus raw power. While some observers believe Robinson can stay in center field, he profiles better in an outfield corner where his solid-average arm should play in either spot. He’s an average runner on the bases, slower out of the box, but shows better speed getting to balls in the gap. Robinson played as a 17-year-old, so he has more potential to develop than most.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #93 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #74 prospect in 2020

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Robinson was viewed as perhaps the highest-upside position player in the D-backs system entering 2021, but it turned out to be a lost year due to legal issues stemming from a confrontation with a law enforcement officer in April 2020. Robinson pled to a felony assault charge in August 2021 and was sentenced to 18 months’ probation and 150 hours community service. With a felony on his record, his visa status was up in the air, putting him in limbo.
  
  Scouting Report: Robinson once was viewed as a potential five-tool player, with gobs of athleticism creating reason to dream on a massive upside despite some lack of refinement around his game. With the pandemic and his legal problems costing him two years’ development, his future is harder to predict than ever. Other than instructional league in 2020, when he swung and missed an alarming amount, he has been limited mostly to informal workouts at the team’s training facilities.
  
  The Future: The D-backs were hopeful he would get back on the field in 2022 and added him to the 40-man roster in November. He will be on the restricted list until he is cleared to resume his career.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 70. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Robinson signed for $2.5 million in 2017 and quickly impressed the organization with his maturity, mindset and athleticism. He put together a strong season in the short-season Northwest League before a promotion to the low Class A Midwest League at age 18 in 2019, and he showed up to spring training in 2020 with a slimmed-down physique after experimenting with a paleo diet in the offseason. Robinson joined the alternate training site in August and finished the year in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Robinson's natural athleticism, gargantuan raw power and plus speed give him the building blocks for massive upside. He does things few players can, including hitting a home run into the Chase Field pool area in three consecutive at-bats during alternate site play. But while his power and speed are undeniable, concerns about how often he swings and misses are starting to raise questions about his ability to reach his ceiling. He projects as a fringe-average hitter who strikes out often, though he's still young and has relatively little experience against quality pitching coming from the Bahamas. He is a potential above-average defender in an outfield corner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Robinson was hurt by a lack of reps in 2020. He'll look to make up for lost time in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 70. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Robinson signed for $2.5 million in 2017 and quickly impressed the organization with his maturity, mindset and athleticism. He put together a strong season in the short-season Northwest League before a promotion to the low Class A Midwest League at age 18 in 2019, and he showed up to spring training in 2020 with a slimmed-down physique after experimenting with a paleo diet in the offseason. Robinson joined the alternate training site in August and finished the year in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Robinson’s natural athleticism, gargantuan raw power and plus speed give him the building blocks for massive upside. He does things few players can, including hitting a home run into the Chase Field pool area in three consecutive at-bats during alternate site play. But while his power and speed are undeniable, concerns about how often he swings and misses are starting to raise questions about his ability to reach his ceiling. He projects as a fringe-average hitter who strikes out often, though he’s still young and has relatively little experience against quality pitching coming from the Bahamas. He is a potential above-average defender in an outfield corner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Robinson was hurt by a lack of reps in 2020. He’ll look to make up for lost time in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 45. Power: 70. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Robinson signed for $2.5 million in 2017 and quickly impressed the organization with his maturity, mindset and athleticism. He put together a strong season in the short-season Northwest League before a promotion to the low Class A Midwest League at age 18 in 2019, and he showed up to spring training in 2020 with a slimmed-down physique after experimenting with a paleo diet in the offseason. Robinson joined the alternate training site in August and finished the year in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Robinson’s natural athleticism, gargantuan raw power and plus speed give him the building blocks for massive upside. He does things few players can, including hitting a home run into the Chase Field pool area in three consecutive at-bats during alternate site play. But while his power and speed are undeniable, concerns about how often he swings and misses are starting to raise questions about his ability to reach his ceiling. He projects as a fringe-average hitter who strikes out often, though he’s still young and has relatively little experience against quality pitching coming from the Bahamas. He is a potential above-average defender in an outfield corner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Robinson was hurt by a lack of reps in 2020. He’ll look to make up for lost time in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Robinson received a $2.5 million bonus in 2017 and put his massive skill-set on display in the short-season Northwest League in 2019, dominating against much older competition. Playing the entire season at age 18, he reached low Class A for the final month of the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A physical specimen despite his age, Robinson has a chance for four plus tools, the exception being his arm. At the plate, he uses a simple stride with little movement in his setup followed by a compact swing. The raw power he generates is enormous, and he got to it often in games last season. Scouts are concerned by his strikeout total, but his chase rate is solid and his in-zone whiff rate isn’t bad, either. He makes enough hard contact to offset the swing-and-miss in his game. Robinson gets good reads in center field, but scouts expect he will move to a corner once he fills out. He is mature for his age, a hard worker and routine-oriented. He has plus speed and stole bases at an 82 percent clip in Hillsboro.
  
  THE FUTURE: Given his loud tools, Robinson arguably has more potential than any player in the D-backs system. If he continues his upward trajectory, he could find himself among baseball’s top prospects in short order.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Robinson received a $2.5 million bonus in 2017 and put his massive skill-set on display in the short-season Northwest League in 2019, dominating against much older competition. Playing the entire season at age 18, he reached low Class A for the final month of the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A physical specimen despite his age, Robinson has a chance for four plus tools, the exception being his arm. At the plate, he uses a simple stride with little movement in his setup followed by a compact swing. The raw power he generates is enormous, and he got to it often in games last season. Scouts are concerned by his strikeout total, but his chase rate is solid and his in-zone whiff rate isn't bad, either. He makes enough hard contact to offset the swing-and-miss in his game. Robinson gets good reads in center field, but scouts expect he will move to a corner once he fills out. He is mature for his age, a hard worker and routine-oriented. He has plus speed and stole bases at an 82 percent clip in Hillsboro.
  
  THE FUTURE: Given his loud tools, Robinson arguably has more potential than any player in the D-backs system. If he continues his upward trajectory, he could find himself among baseball's top prospects in short order.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  The easy call for the league’s top prospect, Robinson was the first player on the lips of every opposing manager and scout who saw him play. He thoroughly dominated the league as one of its youngest players before earning an August promotion to low Class A Kane County. Robinson has the makings of at least a four-tool player with a chance for a full five-tool complement with an improved throwing arm. "The concern with him is the strikeout rate,” one scout said, "but the biggest positive with him is the value he provides in multiple ways. . . . He’s a freak.” Robinson has the actions and instincts to stick in center field, has turned in plus run times of 4.1 seconds to first base, and showed at least double-plus raw power. He got to that power frequently in games, too, including nine home runs that tied him for second in the league. One of those home runs was measured at 470 feet.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  A physical specimen with good athleticism, Robinson showed such a mature, confident approach in extended spring training that the club opted to start him stateside rather than in the Dominican Summer League. His approach is advanced for his age, both in terms of pitch selection and an ability to drive the ball to the middle of the field with power. He moves so well for his size that some think he could stick in center field.