TRAYVON ROBINSON, CENTER FIELDER
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Born: September 1, 1987 Height: 5’10” Weight: 200 Bats: Both Throws: Right Drafted: 10th round, 316th overall pick, 2005 (Dodgers) How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent High School: Crenshaw HS (Los Angeles, CA) Agents: N/A |
WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE |
The Dodgers drafted Robinson as an extremely toolsy outfielder with plus-plus speed and some power potential. His one missing tool was his arm, which has always been fringy. He’s spend the majority of his time throughout his career in center, but has also played a lot in left. He’s had extreme ups and downs as a hitter, with power outbursts in some years, and limited power in others. His walk and K rates have been through some extreme ups and downs as well, although he’s usually had significant problems making contact. He’s had high stolen base totals in many seasons, but usually has had low success rates. He struggled in two major league trials in 2011-12, then never got another. After he spent 2016-18 in independent ball, the Pirates signed Robinson to a minor league deal for 2019.
2005 Robinson had a strong debut as a 17-year-old in rookie ball, hihtting for good power. 2006 For some reason, the Dodgers sent Robinson back to rookie ball and he didn’t hit nearly as well there. His K rate, in particular, more than doubled. 2007 The Dodgers jumped Robinson up to full season ball and he mostly struggled, with a still-high K rate and no power. 2008 In the California League, Robinson hit better, but not impressively for the high-offense environment. He did cut his K rate. He ran a lot, but with a low rate of success. 2009 The Dodgers sent Robinson, still only 21, back to the California League and he had a breakout season, with a big increase in power. He stole a lot of bases but continued to get caught a lot. He also made a late-season cameo in AA. Baseball America rated him the Dodgers’ ninth best prospect after the season and LA added him to the 40-man roster. 2010 In AA, Robinson didn’t hit for as much power but drew a great many walks. BA rated him tenth in the Dodgers’ system. 2011 Robinson went to AAA and had a big season, hitting for the most power of his career, although at the cost of strikeouts in a third of his ABs. He was probably helped by the hitters’ environment at Albuquerque. At the trade deadline, the Dodgers sent him to Seattle, which called him up shortly afterward. Robinson played more or less regularly for the last two months, seeing time in both center and left. He struggled to hit in the majors, with a huge K rate. 2012 Robinson spent the first four months of the season in AAA. He hit just decently there, then was called up in late July. He didn’t have as much trouble making contact in the majors as the previous year, but he still had a high K rate and didn’t hit well. After the season, Seattle traded him to Baltimore, which outrighted him to AAA. 2013 Baltimore sent Robinson to AAA to open the season, but he struggled there, having a great deal of trouble making contact. He got demoted to AA at the beginning of July and hit much better, but he was a very experienced player for the level. He became a free agent after the season and signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers. 2014 Robinson spent the season in AAA and struggled all year. After the season he became a free agent and signed with the Padres. 2015 San Diego released Robinson after spring training and he signed with Arizona three weeks into the season. He hit fairly well in AAA for the Diamondbacks, but Arizona released him in June. He signed with Detroit and played in AAA for them the rest of the year, struggling throughout except for a good walk rate. 2016 Robinson divided his season between Somerset and Lancaster in the Atlantic League, hitting for some power. 2017 Playing for Lancaster all year, Robinson didn’t hit for a lot of power but showed much better plate discipline than he generally had before. 2018 Back with Lancaster, Robinson hit a little better than the year before. 2019 Robinson played semi-regularly for Indianapolis, missing a few weeks in June. He played mainly in the corners, with Jason Martin in center. For much of the season, he was the team’s best hitters along with Jake Elmore. He wore out LHPs, with a .922 OPS against them. The Pirates did not call him up in September. Robinson will be a free agent in the fall. |
CONTRACT INFORMATION
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2019: Minor league salary |
PLAYER INFORMATION
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Signing Bonus: $50,000 MiLB Debut: 2005 MLB Debut: 8/5/2011 MiLB FA Eligible: N/A MLB FA Eligible: 2019 Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible Added to 40-Man: 11/18/2009 (since removed) Options Remaining: 1 (USED: 2011, 2012) MLB Service Time: 0.125 |
TRANSACTIONS
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June 7, 2005: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 10th round, 316th overall pick; signed on June 13. November 18, 2009: Contract purchased by the Los Angeles Dodgers. July 31, 2011: Traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team trade to the Seattle Mariners, with the Boston Red Sox sending Juan Rodriguez, Tim Federowicz and Stephen Fife to the Dodgers, the Red Sox sending Chih-Hsien Chiang to the Mariners, and the Mariners sending Erik Bedard and Josh Fields to the Red Sox. November 20, 2012: Traded by the Seattle Mariners to the Baltimore Orioles for Robert Andino. February 8, 2013: Designated for assignment by the Baltimore Orioles; outrighted to AAA on February 14. November 4, 2013: Became a free agent. January 24, 2014: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers. November 4, 2014: Became a free agent. December 15, 2014: Signed as a minor league free agent by the San Diego Padres. April 2, 2015: Released by the San Diego Padres. April 20, 2015: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Arizona Diamondbacks. June 22, 2015: Released by the Arizona Diamondbacks. July 2, 2015: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Detroit Tigers November 6, 2015: Became a free agent. |