Víctor Robles
Robles with the Washington Nationals in 2022
Washington Nationals – No. 16
Outfielder
Born: (1997-05-19) May 19, 1997
Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 7, 2017, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.238
Home runs31
Runs batted in154
Stolen bases66
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Víctor Enrique Robles Brito (born May 19, 1997) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Robles signed with the Nationals as an international free agent in 2013. He made his MLB debut in 2017.

Career

Minor leagues

Robles signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent in 2013.[1] He made his professional debut in 2014 in the Dominican Republic with the Dominican Summer League Nationals in the rookie-level Dominican Summer League, batting .313 with three home runs, 25 runs batted in (RBIs), and 26 stolen bases in 47 games.[2] Robles started 2015 with the Gulf Coast Nationals in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League, playing in 23 games and hitting .370 with two home runs, 11 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases[2] before he was promoted to the Auburn Doubledays in the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League.[3][4][5] He finished the season with Auburn, hitting .343 with two home runs, 16 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases for the Doubledays, giving him an overall batting average of .352 with four home runs, 27 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases for 2015.[2]

Robles with the Hagerstown Suns in 2016

Robles began the 2016 season with the Hagerstown Suns of the Class A South Atlantic League,[6] and played in 64 games for the Suns, hitting .305 with five home runs, driving in 30 runs, and stealing 19 bases.[2] He earned a promotion to the Potomac Nationals of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League,[7] where he spent the rest of the season except for a brief rehabilitation stint with the Gulf Coast League Nationals after returning from the seven-day disabled list.[2] He went 3-for-20 (.150) in five games with the Gulf Coast League Nationals with a home run and an RBI,[2] and in 41 games with Potomac he batted .262, hit three home runs, drove in 11 runs, and stole 18 bases.[2] For the three teams combined, he hit .280 with nine home runs, 42 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases during 2016.[2]

Following the trade that sent pitcher Lucas Giolito to the Chicago White Sox on December 7, 2016, Robles became the top-ranked prospect in the Washington Nationals' farm system.[8][9] Baseball writer Jim Callis said that same month that he believed Robles could be considered the top overall prospect in baseball by the end of the 2017 season.[10] In July 2017, MLB Pipeline listed Robles as the fifth-ranked prospect in baseball.[11]

Robles began the 2017 season with Potomac.[2] While with Potomac, he was named to the World team's roster for the 2017 All-Star Futures Game.[12] On July 24, 2017, after Robles had played 77 games for Potomac, batting .289 with seven home runs, 33 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases, the Washington Nationals promoted him to the Harrisburg Senators of the Class AA Eastern League.[13] Robles completed the minor-league season with Harrisburg, putting up a .324 batting average with an .883 on-base plus slugging percentage over 37 games with the Senators, hitting three home runs, driving in 14 runs, and stealing 11 bases.[2]

2017

After the 2017 Eastern League season ended, the Washington Nationals promoted Robles to the major leagues for the first time on September 7, 2017.[14] He became the youngest man to play in the 2017 Major League Baseball season as he made his debut that day against the Philadelphia Phillies,[15] flying out to deep right field in a pinch-hit appearance.[16] On September 10, 2017, Robles reached base safely for the first time in his major-league career after being hit by a pitch. Later in the game he tagged his first career major-league hit, a double off the scoreboard at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., also driving in his first career major-league RBI, but he was called out at third base after he slid past the bag trying to stretch the hit into a triple.[17] He finished the regular season with the Nationals having played in 13 games, batting 6-for-24 (.250) with a double and two triples and driving in four runs.[2] He made the postseason playoff roster[18] and appeared in two games in the 2017 National League Division Series, striking out in his only plate appearance but scoring one run.[19]

After Washington lost the 2017 NLDS to the Chicago Cubs in five games, Robles played in the Arizona Fall League during the fall of 2017.[20] In 13 games with the Mesa Solar Sox,[21] he went 10-for-41 (.244), had a .389 on-base percentage, hit three home runs and a double, drove in seven runs, and stole seven bases.[20][22] Playing for the East team, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the league's Fall Stars Game after going 1-for-3 with a walk, driving in a run, and scoring two runs in the game.[23]

2018

Robles received an invitation to major-league spring training in 2018 and hit .188 in 21 spring-training games before the Nationals optioned him to the Syracuse Chiefs of the Class AAA International League, where he began the season.[24] Ranked as the No. 6 prospect in baseball by MLB.com,[20] he went 4-for-4 with a walk in his second game with Syracuse, driving in a run, stealing a base, and scoring two runs, including the go-ahead run in the ninth inning that gave the Chiefs a win;[20] three of his hits came on the first pitch.[20] He had gone 5-for-13 (.385) with one RBI for the Chiefs and was in his fourth game of the year[2] on April 9 when he hyperextended his elbow while diving to make a catch in center field at Rochester while playing against the Rochester Red Wings.[25] He was removed from the game.[24] His injury did not require surgery, but it forced him to begin an extended stay on the disabled list.[24] Robles started a rehab assignment with the Gulf Coast League Nationals on July 7, 2018, alongside fellow Chiefs outfielder Alejandro De Aza.[26] For the 2018 season he batted .288/.348/.525 with three home runs, ten RBIs, and three stolen bases in five attempts in 59 at bats.[19]

2019

Robles with the Nationals in 2020

In 2019 he batted .255/.326/.419 with 17 home runs, 65 RBIs, 25 hit by pitch (2nd in the NL), and 28 stolen bases (5th) in 37 attempts, and had the highest Soft Contact Percentage of all National League batters (24.2%), and the lowest Hard Contact Percentage of all National League batters, at 24.9%.[27][28] Balls he hit had an average exit velocity of 83.3 mph, in the slowest 1% in major league baseball.[29] On defense in 2019, he had a 22 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) rating, the best in the major leagues among center fielders.[30] He led all major league center fielders in assists, with 12, and all major league outfielders in errors, with six.[31] Because of his exceptional play, he was named as a finalist for the NL Gold Glove Award in center field, along with Harrison Bader and Lorenzo Cain, but Cain ended up winning the award.

2020

In 2020 he batted .220/.293/.315 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 168 at bats, and had the lowest slugging percentage of all NL qualified batters.[32] Balls he hit had an average exit velocity of 82.2 mph, in the slowest 1% in major league baseball.[29] He was the seventh-youngest player in the NL.[19]

2021

Robles struggled offensively in 2021, batting .203/.310/.295 with just two home runs and 19 RBIs in 315 at bats. Balls he hit had an average exit velocity of 84.1 mph, in the slowest 1% in major league baseball.[29] On August 31, he was optioned to the Rochester Red Wings, the Nationals' minor league affiliate in the Triple-A East league.[33]

2022

In 2022, Robles batted .224/.273/.311 in 366 at bats, and led the major leagues in bunt hits (with 10), as on defense he led NL center fielders in assists (7), range factor, and errors (6).[34] Balls he hit had an average exit velocity of 84.6 mph, in the slowest 1% in major league baseball.[29]

2023

After playing in 36 games, Robles was placed on the injured list with spasms in his lumbar spine on June 21, 2023.[35] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on July 26.[36]

Scouting report

Robles in 2016 was considered a five-tool player, with speed as his best asset and power lagging somewhat behind the others.[37]

His speed in 2016 was compared to former Nationals shortstop Trea Turner, one of the fastest runners in Major League Baseball.[38] In 2017 he sprint speed of 30.9 feet/second was tops in the league, but in 2022 it had dropped to 28.7 feet/second, which was 89th in the league.[29] In 2022 his arm strength was an average 93.9 mph, which was in the top 3% in MLB.[39]

References

  1. ↑ Kilgore, Adam; Wagner, James (July 2, 2013). "Nationals sign seven international free agents". Washington Post. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Victor Robles Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com.
  3. ↑ "Byron Kerr: 18-year-old Dominican outfielder Victor Robles shining for Auburn". MASNsports. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Stock Watch: Washington Nationals' Victor Robles a natural with Auburn Doubledays - MiLB.com News - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Victor Robles, an 18-year-old Nationals outfield prospect, quickly drawing attention". Washington Post. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  6. ↑ Kerr, Byron. "19-year-old Robles has "come along really well" in first season with Hagerstown". Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "Victor Robles plays hard enough to make Nationals excited and nervous". Washington Post. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  8. ↑ "MLB.com 2016 Prospect Watch". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  9. ↑ TALK NATS Blog (December 8, 2016). "Nationals new Top Prospects list with Victor Robles #1 Fedde #2 C Kieboom #3 Neuse #4 Stevenson #5". Twitter. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  10. ↑ Kerr, Byron (December 7, 2016). "MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis likes what he sees in Victor Robles, Andrew Stevenson". MASN Sports. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  11. ↑ Melnick, Kyle (July 25, 2017). "Robles up to No. 5 on Top 100 Prospects list". MLB.com. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  12. ↑ Reddington, Patrick (June 29, 2017). "Washington Nationals' prospect Victor Robles on World roster for 2017 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game". Federal Baseball. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Nationals promote top prospect Robles". MiLB.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  14. ↑ Castillo, Jorge (September 7, 2017). "Nationals call up top prospect Victor Robles". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
  15. ↑ Oz, Mike (September 7, 2017). "Here are 10 things surprisingly older than new Nationals call-up Victor Robles". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  16. ↑ Kerr, Byron (September 7, 2017). "Roark, Turner and bullpen lift Nats past Phillies 4-3". MASN Sports. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  17. ↑ Zuckerman, Mark (September 10, 2017). "Strasburg's latest gem puts Nats on cusp of division title". MASN Sports. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
  18. ↑ Janes, Chelsea; Castillo, Jorge. "Victor Robles, Brian Goodwin make Nationals' NLDS roster" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  19. 1 2 3 "Victor Robles Stats". Baseball-Reference.com.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 "Nats' Robles notches four hits in second IL game". MiLB.com.
  21. ↑ "Washington Nationals: Victor Robles lights up AFL". November 10, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Victor Robles Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  23. ↑ Reddington, Patrick (November 5, 2017). "Washington Nationals' prospect Victor Robles named AFL Fall Stars Game MVP..." Federal Baseball.
  24. 1 2 3 "Nationals get good news on Robles". MiLB.com.
  25. ↑ "Robles diagnosed with hyperextended elbow". MiLB.com.
  26. ↑ @jorgecastillo (July 7, 2018). ""Koda Glover pitched an inning in the Gulf Coast League yesterday and thereâ™s another familiar name playing there today" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  27. ↑ "Major League Leaderboards » 2019 » Batters » Batted Ball Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". Fangraphs.com. 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  28. ↑ "Major League Leaderboards » 2019 » Batters » Batted Ball Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". Fangraphs.com. 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5
  30. ↑ "Major League Leaderboards » 2019 » Center Fielders » Fielding Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". Fangraphs.com. 2019-01-01. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  31. ↑ "2019 Major League Baseball Fielding Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  32. ↑ "2020 National League Standard Batting". Baseball-Reference.com.
  33. ↑ Snyder, Matt (August 31, 2021). "Nationals demote former top prospect Victor Robles to Triple-A". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  34. ↑ "2022 Major League Baseball PH/HR/Situ Hitting". Baseball-Reference.com.
  35. ↑ "Nationals' Victor Robles: Returns to IL with back spasms". cbssports.com. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  36. ↑ "Nationals' Victor Robles: Moved to 60-day IL". cbssports.com. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
  37. ↑ Elhardt, Magnus (February 3, 2016). "Nats' Victor Robles ranked 2nd among MLB prospects in raw tools". Federal Baseball. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  38. ↑ Dykstra, Sam (October 18, 2016). "Toolshed Stats: Robles ranks as Spd-iest". MiLB.com. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  39. ↑ "Player. Victor Robles". baseballsavant.mlb.com. July 30, 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.