Aug. 12: The Tigers formally selected Robson’s contract, clearing space on the active roster by placing Goodrum on the 10-day injured list, as Hinch indicated.
Lefty Matthew Boyd was transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL to create a 40-man roster spot. Boyd’s move to the 60-day IL is retroactive to his initial placement, which came 59 days ago, so it’s largely a procedural move. He was sent out on a Triple-A rehab assignment today and would need a couple starts at least before being activated, so today’s transfer does nothing to impact his timeline.
Aug. 11: The Tigers are planning to select the contract of Jacob Robson tomorrow, manager A.J. Hinch informed reporters (including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News). He’ll take the active roster spot of utilityman Niko Goodrum, who will land on the injured list after leaving this evening’s game against the Orioles with a left groin strain. The Tigers will need to make a 40-man roster transaction tomorrow to finalize Robson’s promotion.
Detroit selected Robson in the eighth round of the 2016 draft out of Mississippi State. The left-handed hitting outfielder has spent parts of five seasons in the minor leagues and is now in line for his major league debut. Robson has never hit for much power, but he’s posted very strong batting averages and walk rates throughout his pro career, resulting in an overall .294/.382/.424 line in just over 2000 plate appearances.
Robson has never been seen as a top prospect because of his lack of impact physicality. He’s appeared near the back of Detroit organizational rankings at FanGraphs and Baseball America in recent seasons, though, with evaluators praising his hit tool, speed and makeup. The 26-year-old has logged extensive action at all three outfield positions.
While Robson has struck out at an alarming rate (35.9%) in Triple-A this season, he’s nevertheless managed a strong .280/.397/.440 line over 209 plate appearances. Robson has had some obvious good fortune (.463 batting average on balls in play) to hit .280 despite striking out so often. But he’s run incredibly high BABIPs throughout his minor league tenure, with his line drive, all-fields approach creating havoc for opposing defenses. Robson’s minor league performance earned the Ontario native a spot on the Canadian Olympic team this summer.
It has been a difficult season for Goodrum, who’s hitting just .224/.304/.348 over 237 plate appearances. The lefty-hitting utilityman looked like a potential regular for the Tigers after solid performances between 2018-19, but he’s followed that up with back-to-back down years as his strikeout rate has spiked. He’ll now have to work his way back from injury; the Tigers have yet to provide a timetable on his potential return.
So did they find Jacob Robson hanging out in a coffee shop in Royal Oak, Michigan? We normally get some minor league stats in the article when a guy gets called up to the show.
Dude. Just click on his name. You know how this works. His stats are there for all to see. Tell me don’t need your hand held LOL
Joe gonna pretend he’s not at a computer with access to google & baseball ref
JOE IS LIKE MYSELF,,,I PREFER BEING TOLD WHAT TO THINK,,,BRAIN STUFF HURTS!!!
I was just looking at his stats and wondering why he didn’t get called up for Baddoo or Hill. Glad he finally gets the call though, he’s been raking
In other news in Detroit: Miggy is 1 home run away!!!!
As a kid I thought the 500 HR club was amazing but the steroid era watered it down so much. I’ve come back around on it though and it’s very cool to see that Cabrera will be a member of it soon. To be clear though, I’m not bitching about steroids because as bad as they were I truly believe they had a huge impact on getting eyes back on the game again during the McGwire/Sosa HR chase in 1998. The strike in 94’ turned a lot of fans away from baseball and IMO McGwire/Sosa and Ripken breaking Gehrig’s Iron Man record brought a lot of those same fans back.
Imagine his numbers if Comerica wasn’t his home park since 2007…
I literally say this to myself every long fly ball. I’m sure there’s a spray chart somewhere.
No one cares Joe
He’s a TTO hitter without the home runs.
Congrats to The Maple Hammer!!!
He’s earned it. Let’s see what he’s got.
Tigers will need to move someone to 60 day dl, could move Boyd, he’s been out 50 plus so wouldn’t restrict him returning in 2-3 weeks
Boyd is starting today at Toledo, may be back in the line up soon, I think Buck Farmer will be DFA.
Hill could go to the 60. Maybe that’s why they are buying time with this “procedural move”.
Hope not. Loved him this year! Just wondering why the delay.
Called that one, bought themselves a couple weeks, decide then who to try and slip back to AAA
Goodrum is a switch hitter, not just lefty.
yes and no, a few homers in a sea of strikeouts from the left side does not make him a viable switch hitter. He should be right-handed only according to his splits.
By this logic, a RH-only batter with poor stats isn’t a batter at all?
Go Canada!
Hope he gets a real look. He would have by now in many other organizations. Ironic how it took so long in a really bad one.
I’m glad to see him get a shot, but I believe his upside is a David Eckstein-type player. Low power but gets on base and bugs the Hell out of opposing teams. The differences are in the K rates and that Eck was an infielder. There are too many better outfielders for Robson to stick other than as a temporary fill-in.
That’s a great problem to have 🙂
Go get it Kid. Make London Ontario prouder.
Not that big a city and yet 5 folks from here won medals in Tokyo. Goodrum on the other hand is finished in Detroit.
Congratulations!