Clint Robinson

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #29 prospect in 2013
  Robinson has blown away expectations for a college senior sign who got a $1,000 bonus as a 25th-round pick. He has hit .308/.382/.520 in six minor league seasons, won the triple crown in the Double-A Texas League in 2010 and got his first four big league at-bats last summer with Kansas City. He was the first Troy product to make it to the majors since Mike Rivera in 2001. The Royals didn't need Robinson with Eric Hosmer at first base and Billy Butler at DH, so they traded him and Vin Mazzaro to the Pirates for young Dominican pitchers Luis Rico and Luis Santos in November. Robinson projects as a solid hitter with average power. He doesn't strike out much and gets on base, but his value is limited because he's a 20 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale and is a below-average defender at first base. Though he throws well enough to play left field, he doesn't have enough range to pull it off. Pittsburgh has Garrett Jones and Gaby Sanchez as its primary first-base option for 2013 but will give Robinson a chance to make the team in a reserve role.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #21 prospect in 2012
  Even with Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Wil Myers in the system, Robinson arguably has been the most productive Royals minor leaguer over the last three years. A former 25th-round pick signed for $1,000, he won the Double-A Texas League triple crown by hitting .335-29-98 in 2010. He followed up by batting .326 with a career-high 100 RBIs in 2011, helping lead Omaha to the Pacific Coast League championship. He missed the Triple-A championship game with a sports hernia that required surgery. When Robinson turned pro, he was a dead-pull hitter incapable of taking a ball the other way. Now he uses the whole field and has a very advanced two-strike approach. He's a plus hitter with average power, though his other tools aren't nearly as impressive. His speed rates as a 20 on the 20-80 scouting scale and he's a below-average defender at first base. Robinson throws well enough to play the outfield, but his lack of speed makes that a stretch. He has played just three games in left field in five years as a pro. With Hosmer and Billy Butler entrenched in Kansas City, Robinson is stuck in Triple-A for now. The trade market for first basemen with average power never is particularly heated, so he may have to bide his time in Omaha for a while.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #28 prospect in 2011
  Robinson didn't get taken seriously as a prospect until he won the Texas League triple crown in 2010. Despite solid numbers at Troy, Robinson went undrafted as a college junior, then lasted to the 25th round and signed for just $1,000 in 2007. Even after he hit .336 and led the Rookie-level Pioneer League with 66 RBIs in his pro debut, he still didn't draw many positive reviews because of his lack of athleticism and defensive ability. Robinson is starting to show that he can do more than just hit for power. He uses the whole field and covers the plate well, which allows him to hit for a solid average despite his well-below-average speed. He is a liability in the field, as he doesn't move well at first base and can't play anywhere else on the diamond. Many scouts still project Robinson as a player who will spend more time in Triple-A than in the majors, but he has exceeded expectations since he was drafted. A November addition to the 40-man roster, he heads to Omaha for the first time, one step away from his ultimate goal.