ProfileHt.: 5'10" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School
Fresno State
Drafted in the 1st round (26th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2004 (signed for $1,325,000).
View Draft Report
Robnett, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound lefthanded-hitting center fielder, is the first sign that Fresno State, once one of the nation's best programs, is getting back on solid footing. A redshirt sophomore transfer from Santa Barbara CC, Robnett came on strong this spring and developed into the best everyday player in the Western Athletic Conference. He led the Bulldogs in batting (.373), home runs (13), RBIs (50) and stolen bases (21). He showed better bat speed than in the past, and his stock soared when he held his own against Rice's stellar staff in a three-game series. All his other tools play well. He's an above-average center fielder who gets excellent jumps on fly balls. He has been timed in the 60-yard dash in 6.6 seconds.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
Robnett's name surfaces frequently during trade talks, as other clubs obviously value his wide base of skills. The Dodgers were unsuccessful in signing Robnett out of high school as a 32nd-rounder in 2002, and he increased his stock at Fresno State, going in the first round to the A's for $1.325 million two years later. Robnett's best tool is his huge raw power. He's not tall, but stocky and strong, and his quick hands and powerful forearms produce enough juice to leave any ballpark. He's a good athlete who runs well, but will be limited to a corner outfield spot because of suspect routes and poor reads and jumps. He has above-average arm strength, and right field is the best fit. He still swings and misses too much, for a variety of reasons--lack of pitch recognition, lack of patience and a poor two-strike approach are key contributors. After being added to the 40-man roster, Robnett will head to big league camp this spring with an outside chance to make the club, but Triple-A seems a more likely destination.
Scouts outside the A's organization frequently put Robnett at the top of their follow lists because his tools stand out in the system. Those tools got him picked in the first round in 2004 out of Fresno State and earned him a $1.325 million signing bonus. While he has athletic ability and still runs well, Robnett's best tool is his raw power. He's short but stocky and strong, quick to the ball and able to hit balls out of any ballpark. Harnessing his power remains a concern, though, because he lacks pitch recognition and strikes out too much.The rest of his tools don't play up to their grades because he's so raw, even after two full seasons. He has the speed to play center field and his slightly above-average arm would play in right, but he doesn't project as an above-average defender due to inconsistent routes and other fundamentals. A broken hamate bone in 2006 didn't help matters, and he struggled in a brief stint in the Mexican Pacific League. Robnett is headed to Double-A Midland, likely in center field, flanked by prospects Travis Buck, Myron Leslie and Danny Putnam.
Robnett received the top bonus ($1.325 million) of any A's 2004 draftee and also got an invite to big league camp, but his first full pro season was a mixed bag as he racked up 40 more strikeouts than hits. He was slowed early by a hamstring problem that kept him from getting into a rhythm. He made some adjustments in the second half, leading to 14 home runs in his last 60 games. Robnett offers one of the best packages of tools among Oakland farmhands. Compact and muscular, he has tremendous bat speed and above-average power, but he needs to make more contact and work the count better to take advantage of it. He has the athleticism to play center field and the arm for right, but he still needs work at both positions because of bad jumps and poor routes. He's an above-average runner, though he already has lost a step since college. The A's were happy with the improvement Robnett made during instructional league and believe he's close to breaking through. He'll likely return to high Class A in 2006.
Robnett's draft stock rose more than most last spring, as he opened scouts' eyes with a 6-for-11 weekend against Rice's trio of first-round pitchers. After sitting out 2003 in junior college, he led the Western Athletic Conference in batting (.384), slugging (.699) and stolen bases (21). He received the top bonus ($1.325 million) in Oakland's draft class, and capped a strong pro debut by batting .321 in the Midwest League playoffs. Robnett offers a tantalizing combination of power and speed. He puts on a show in batting practice, and the ball makes that special sound coming off his bat. Despite his inexperience, he shows a solid understanding of the strike zone. He has a strong build and the speed to play center field. Robnett has a tendency to club at the ball, making his swing long and hindering his ability to catch up to good fastballs. He needs to improve his jumps in center, and may profile better in right field, where his arm plays well. The A's were excited about Robnett's summer and think he could move quickly through the system. He'll start 2005 at one of their Class A affiliates.
Minor League Top Prospects
Robnett hit just .234 with six homers over the season's first two months before his considerable tools finally started to translate into production. He batted .290 with 12 homers over the final three months, set career highs in several categories and made the TL's postseason all-star team, as he raised his average more than 30 points from the beginning of June. Robnett can sting line drives with a short, powerful swing, and he drew comparisons to Cliff Floyd for his ability to drive the ball. He has an all-or-nothing approach and still struggles with pitch recognition, but most managers thought with more at-bats he'll learn to shrink his strike zone and put the ball in play more often. He also has a good arm and runs well, which translates in the field but not on the basepaths for the Athletics, who run less than any organization. Robnett played all three outfield positions for Midland.
Robnett gave Vancouver two athletic outfielders. He's not as fluid as Herrera but displays a hard-working, grind-it-out approach to the game. "Since he arrived here to where he is now, he's improved 30 percent," Rogers said. Robnett has worked his way into being a solid outfielder and will probably end up moving from center field to a corner as he progresses. Though he could show more discipline at the plate, Robnett has a solid swing that should produce gap power and the ball jumps off his bat when he squares it up--which is something for him to work on. "He missed some fastballs in some hittable counts," one manager said. "His bat is a question for me. He was late on good fastballs."
Best Tools List
Rated Best Power Hitter in the Oakland Athletics in 2007
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone