Outfielder Kristian Robinson, whom the Diamondbacks designated for assignment over the weekend, went unclaimed on waivers, tweets Jesse Friedman of PHNX Sports. The team has apparently assigned Robinson back to its Rookie-level affiliate in the Arizona Complex League, as he’s already suited up for a game there since his DFA.
Once a high-profile amateur signing out of the Bahamas who was considered to be among the sport’s top 100 prospects, Robinson’s career has been slowed by legal issues (as MLBTR’s Anthony Franco outlined earlier this year when Robinson was reinstated from the restricted list). A then-19-year-old Robinson pled guilty to felony assault charges stemming from an altercation in April of 2020 but eventually agreed to a plea deal that would reduce the charge to a misdemeanor, contingent on him completing an 18-month probation window. Robinson was unable to renew his work visa (and thus unable to play in the D-backs system) during that probationary period, which ended this spring.
Since returning to the Diamondbacks after a three-year absence from playing in minor leagues, the now-22-year-old Robinson has appeared in 45 games between Rookie ball, Class-A and High-A. In 193 plate appearances, he’s slashed .276/.383/.460 with seven homers, three doubles, three triples, 19 steals (in 22 tries) and an 11.4% walk rate. That impressive performance isn’t without some statistical red flags, however. Robinson has punched out in an alarming 31.1% of his plate appearances, and the bulk of those stats have come against younger competition in A-ball and Rookie ball. He’s yet to really be tested against more advanced pitching, which makes the already sky-high strikeout rate all the more concerning.
Now that he’s gone unclaimed on waivers, he’ll remain in the D-backs’ system but no longer occupy a spot on the 40-man roster.