Daniel Robertson

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #15 prospect in 2017
  The 34th overall pick in 2012 by the A's out of high school, Robertson quickly established himself among Oakland's best prospects and was one of the key players the Rays acquired in the Ben Zobrist trade after the 2014 season. Robertson is a solid-but-unspectacular infielder who does a lot of things well and has few weaknesses, though his statistical performance did not indicate that when he reached Triple-A Durham in 2016. Robertson's best asset remains his righthanded bat, which projects as average to slightly above. He has a compact swing and shows the ability to make consistent hard contact, though he rarely lofts the ball over the fence. Defensively, Robertson shows smooth hands and above-average arm strength, though he lacks optimal range and pure foot speed for shortstop. He is also a below-average runner. Robertson appears as somewhat of a tweener, with no plus tools, but evaluators who like him note his all-around ability and believe his bat will play at the highest level. He was added to the Rays' 40-man roster in the offseason and is likely to see big league time in 2017 as a utilityman.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #10 prospect in 2016
  Robertson played third base for much of his high school career, but he showed well enough at shortstop for the Athletics to take a shot on him with the 34th overall pick in 2012. He led the California League with 37 doubles at high Class A Stockton in 2014 before Oakland traded him to the Rays in January 2015 to acquire Ben Zobrist and Yunel Escobar. Robertson played well at Double-A Montgomery in 2015, when a broken hamate in his left hand limited him to 78 games. Robertson's high baseball IQ and advanced internal clock allow his tools to play up. He lacks the range to be a flashy defender at shortstop, but he has smooth hands to makes routine plays. He shows above-average arm strength, and his tools could make him an adequate defender at either second or third base. At the plate, Robertson has a tendency to put himself in hitter's counts. He has shown the ability to drive the ball up the middle or stay inside and pepper the opposite field. He has the ability to hit home runs if he runs into a pitch, and some scouts see him hitting 10-15 home runs per season. Robertson might not be an ideal fit defensively at shortstop, but he should hit enough to hold down second base if he has to move. Positional versatility could be his key to breaking into the big league lineup as he begins 2016 in the upper minors, possibly at Triple-A Durham.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #1 prospect in 2015
  Robertson always will be linked with Addison Russell, his close friend and former spring training roommate. The two shortstops, along with first baseman Matt Olson, spearheaded the Athletics' 2012 draft class in which Oakland abandoned a collegeheavy acquisition strategy by taking that trio of high schoolers with its first three selections. That class casts a long shadow now that Robertson and Olson stand as the system's two best prospects, while Russell served as the key piece the A's surrendered in the blockbuster trade that brought them Jeff Samardzija from the Cubs. While losing Russell is a difficult blow to the farm system, it does speak to the faith the organization has in Robertson. Signed for $1.5 million as the 34th overall pick in 2012, he tore up the high Class A California League as a 20-year-old in 2014. The cornerstone of Stockton's prospect-laden infield, he was consistently productive, finishing third in the minors in hits (170) and leading the Cal League with 37 doubles. He also handled himself well in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .301/.398/.356 in 20 games. Robertson has the makings of a well-rounded offensive shortstop. He has a quick swing, and he developed a much better load position in 2014, which helped him use his legs more naturally. He's a mature, professional hitter who consistently grinds out quality at-bats. He does a good job of staying inside balls, and while his approach isn't predicated on power, he has the strength to hit balls out if a pitcher makes a mistake. Robertson has gotten better about cutting his swing loose on pitches he can drive, and as he continues to mature physically he could develop into a 20-homer threat. Robertson played third base for most of his high school career, only moving to shortstop fulltime as a senior. Scouts had long projected him to move back to the hot corner, especially after turning pro and teaming up with Russell. Though such a position switch still is possible, Robertson may yet have a future as a shortstop. He's a below-average runner and doesn't have flashy range, but he's almost always in the right place--a tribute both to his instincts for the game and attention to detail in his preparation. His hands are steady and he has a quick release on throws, with enough arm strength for either spot on the left side of the infield. Russell's departure from the organization has changed Robertson's outlook significantly. Not only is Robertson now the organization's No. 1 prospect, but he no longer has Russell standing in his way at shortstop. Though he still faces the possibility of a position switch, Robertson's chances to stick look better today. With Jed Lowrie testing free agency, the A's will have to figure out a shortterm solution at shortstop, but Robertson won't be ready to take over the job until 2016 at the earliest. First, he'll head to Double-A Midland.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #10 prospect in 2014
  After taking Addison Russell in the first round in 2012, the Athletics continued their splurge on high school players by taking Robertson and first baseman Matt Olson in the sandwich round. Signed for $1.5 million, Robertson went to low Class A Beloit in 2013 and steadily picked up his production as the season went along, batting .314/.381/.495 with five homers in August. Robertson brings an advanced plate approach for his age. He takes short swings and is willing to hit balls to all fields. Projections on his power have varied going back to his high school days, but he has the physicality, bat speed and swing path to suggest he'll hit for quality power down the road. Robertson's skeptics don't believe he can stick at shortstop, though the A's believe he has a chance. He's a below-average runner but not a bad athlete. He has good hands and can make the throws on balls he gets to. Range is a question, but he compensates with his anticipation skills, instincts and internal clock. The A's laud Robertson's work ethic. A move to third base may be inevitable with Addison Russell ahead of him in the organization, and whether he will profile at third base depends on his power development. He moves to high Class A Stockton for 2014.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #9 prospect in 2013
  The second of the three high schoolers Oakland took at the top of its 2012 draft, Robertson signed for $1.5 million as the 34th overall pick. In his debut, he hit well in the Arizona League and earned a promotion to short-season Vermont, but he ran out of gas in August and tailed off markedly. Robertson stands out as an instinctive hitter who's advanced for his age. He has a fluid swing with natural timing and rhythm. He mostly has gap power for now, but he shows flashes of something more. Some scouts believe he could have above-average power in time. He projects as a third baseman, though the A's gave him some time at shortstop when he wasn't playing alongside 2012 first-rounder Addison Russell. Robertson has reliable hands and solid arm strength, but his lack of speed makes him a better fit at the hot corner. Robertson is comfortable at third and should spend most of his time there when he teams with Russell in low Class A in 2013.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #35 prospect in 2012 draft
  Scouts have a variance of opinion on Robertson, but the strong consensus is that someone will probably like him enough to take him in the supplemental first round, and no later than the second. His best tool is his quick righthanded bat, which produces loads of hard doubles and has a chance to be a plus tool. Even his detractors project it to be average. He flashes pop to the pull side, and assessments of his power potential range from 45 to 60 on the 20-80 scale, depending on which scout you ask. Robertson plays shortstop in high school but projects as a third baseman in pro ball. Some scouts think his hands, instincts and arm all project as above-average and believe he can be a standout defender at the hot corner. His weakest tool is his speed, which is below-average at best. A UCLA commit, Robertson is a gamer with plenty of baseball savvy and more polish than most high school prospects.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked California League #7 prospect in 2014
  Matt Olson got the most attention among Stockton's cadre of position prospects, but Robertson looks like the most well-rounded of the group. Robertson consistently grinds out quality at-bats, and he could become a 20-homer threat as he matures physically. For now he's more of an opportunistic power hitter, taking advantage of mistakes while otherwise staying inside the ball. He ended the season on a tear, hitting .368 in August to finish third in the minors with 170 hits on the year. "He hit a few balls this year where I really just kind of stepped back and was impressed with the sound as it came off the bat," Stockton manager Ryan Christenson said. "I think another four to five years of man strength on him, he's going to produce some pretty consistent power numbers." Robertson takes his intelligent approach with him to shortstop, where his feel for positioning helps compensate for a lack of footspeed. He does have a strong arm and sure hands, but he remains a candidate for a position change.
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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #9 prospect in 2012
  A supplemental first-rounder signed for $1.5 million, Robertson had more baseball savvy and polish than most high school players. He has a true feel for hitting, along with a pure swing and good bat speed. His power mostly goes to the gaps now, but he should develop into a home run threat as his body gets stronger. Roberston split time between third base and shortstop in the AZL and at short-season Vermont, getting most of his time at short after Addison Russell was promoted from both clubs. Robertson is more comfortable at third base, where he projects as an above-average defender with sound hands and a strong arm. He's an average runner with good instincts, but speed won't be a big part of his game.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #66 prospect in 2015

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The second of the three high schoolers Oakland took at the top of its 2012 draft, Robertson signed for $1.5 million as the 34th overall pick. In his debut, he hit well in the Arizona League and earned a promotion to short-season Vermont, but he ran out of gas in August and tailed off markedly. Scouting Report: Robertson stands out as an instinctive hitter who's advanced for his age. He has a fluid swing with natural timing and rhythm. He mostly has gap power for now, but he shows flashes of something more. His projectable frame leads some scouts to believe he could have above-average power in time. He projects as a third baseman, though the A's gave him some time at shortstop when he wasn't playing alongside 2012 first-rounder Addison Russell. Robertson has reliable hands and solid arm strength, but his lack of speed--not to mention Russell's presence--make him a better fit at the hot corner. The Future: He has more than enough bat to profile as a regular at third base, reminding some club officials of David Wright. Robertson is comfortable at third base and should spend most of his time there when he teams with Russell once again in low Class A during their first full pro seasons.