The D-Backs announced this afternoon they’ve designated reliever Peter Solomon for assignment. The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for outfield prospect Kristian Robinson, who has been officially reinstated from the restricted list and optioned to Low-A Visalia.
Robinson has been on the restricted list for the better part of three years. A high-profile amateur signee out of the Bahamas, he quickly became one of the sport’s most promising low minors talents. Robinson appeared among Baseball America’s top 100 prospects entering both the 2020 and ’21 seasons and was regarded as a potential franchise building block.
His career has been in limbo for the past few years for legal reasons. Robinson pled guilty to what was initially a felony assault charge stemming from an April 2020 incident with a law enforcement officer. (Zach Buchanan of the Athletic wrote in 2021 that Robinson said he’d been amidst a mental health crisis at the time.) As part of the plea agreement, Robinson’s charge was to be reduced to a misdemeanor if he successfully completed 18 months of probation without incident. In the interim, having a felony on his record prevented him from renewing a work visa that would allow him to continue to participate in minor league games. Robinson had been permitted to partake in extended Spring Training workouts but could not play in official games.
Nevertheless, he would’ve been eligible for selection in the Rule 5 draft over the 2021-22 offseason. The D-Backs added him to their 40-man roster in a procedural move to keep him out of that process but immediately placed him back on the restricted list, temporarily clearing that spot. Robinson fulfilled his probation requirements this spring; as a result, his conviction was reduced to a misdemeanor and he was granted his work visa at the end of April. That opened a 30-day rehab window before which the Diamondbacks had to decide whether to activate him onto the 40-man roster or make him available to other clubs via DFA.
They’ll go with the former course of action to ensure Robinson remains in the organization. He hasn’t played any minor league games over the past month — Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reported a few weeks back that he’s been bothered by a minor hamstring injury — but he’s now in position to get back into game action once healthy. Robinson still hasn’t advanced past Low-A and surely won’t be under consideration for a major league look in 2023.
Solomon, 26, landed with Arizona over the offseason in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft. His MLB experience at the time consisted of six outings for the 2021 Astros. Solomon eventually bounced to the Pirates via waivers before clearing waivers at the end of last year. The D-Backs selected his contract in April and have used him five times in a multi-inning relief capacity.
The righty has been hit hard over his 13 1/3 frames for the Snakes. He’s surrendered 18 runs on 17 hits and 11 walks while striking out six. Solomon has also allowed 15 runs in 13 innings with Triple-A Reno, struggling with home runs in one of the game’s toughest home ballparks for pitchers. He’s likely to land on waivers within the next week.
Glad to see Solomon gone. He was horrible.
YES! YES! YES! Kristian has been through so much, glad to see him getting back.
It will be interesting to see how much Kristian can progress through the Dback’s minor league system in the last 2/3 of the season. I’ve heard excellent reports out of extended Spring Training, etc. over the past year. Needs to get his feet back under him in Low A Visalia. I expect a promotion to High A Hillsboro within the first month. Then a late season promotion to AA Amarillo. But I’m the eternal optimist. I’m just happy Kristian is back!
This is huge news for the Dback’s future. I liken it to an added high, first round pick to their already strong minor league system. Kristian should be ranked among the Dback’s Top 5 Prospects, with an ETA for the major league club in mid- to late 2024.
He is a right handed, power bat as a corner outfielder, so he helps balance all the quality, young left handed bats in the Dback’s OF.
I also think this seals Gurriel’s fate with the Dbacks. Gurriel will almost certainly be traded at this year’s Trade Deadline now. Kyle Lewis will fill in the gap between Gurriel’s departure and Robinson’s arrival.
Trade Gurriel? Why would they trade one one their most productive players, who has also brought life to the dugout?
Don’t mess with the chemistry.
suffer and sidewinder,
By his contract, Gurriel MUST become a Rule XX (B) unrestricted Free Agent. That means the Dbacks cannot sign him to an extension nor can they restrict him by giving him a Qualifying Offer. So at the end of 2023 Gurriel walks away and the Dbacks get nothing.
Gurriel is known as a streaky hitter who can carry a team for a month or so. Sound familiar? I say, “Sell High”! Go after a bullpen arm. Throw in a Dominic Fletcher or other Prospect(s) to get a back end of the bullpen arm, and use Kyle Lewis to replace Gurriel’s right handed OF bat.
No chance Gurriel is traded if DBacks are still in contention at the deadline unless a team is offering a proven closer in return (not happening)
Wow. I mean, Robinson hasn’t even hit a ball in a competitive environment for over 3 years. Maybe we’d rather see if he can still hit before we start banking on his future. I mean, the kid surely had a lot of talent, but he has stood still since 2019, getting mental issues along the way. Give the kid the time he needs, D-backs have no reason to rush him.
Robinson is back! Woo-hoo! I’m interested to see what the had him working on during all this time.
I’m hoping to see him play the next time Visalia comes to San Bernardino. Hopefully I’ll have a better time than last Tuesday, when I went to watch the game.
I ended up with a fractured elbow, after a misjudged attempt at getting a foul ball.
You know you’re having a bad day when you get DFA’d for a guy who hasn’t played in 3 years.
Non Dbacks fans are going to be shocked when Robinson arrives in Phoenix. He fell off people’s radars long ago. For Dbacks fans, sometimes it felt like this day would never arrive… and Robinson is still only 22. Welcome back, young man.
People who don’t expect much out of Robinson, or don’t think he can be any good for a good long while, assume Kristian has been sitting on his a$$ and feeling sorry for himself for almost 3 years, and didn’t know him as a Prospect.
Kristian has been working his a$$ off and diligently learning his craft from the developmental department, taking batting practice from every Dbacks major league pitcher who spent time in Extended Spring Training, including Madison Bumgarner, who he hit a monstrous home run against.
Robinson was #39 on the MLB Top 100 list in 2021, and was the Dbacks #1 Prospect on their Top 30 list. He was ranked ahead of even Corbin Carroll. And he is still only 22 years old.
Just because virtually everyone in baseball, including most Dbacks fans have forgotten or never knew anything about him doesn’t mean his skills have eroded, it only means those people know absolutely nothing about him. I’m just trying to refresh people’s memories.
Now, if Druw Jones can get healthy and get off the IL, Visalia will have an outfield worth watching.
Looking forward to Kristian Robinson’s debut in Visalia. Should happen tonight. With Robinson, Visalia only has 3 active OF on the roster.
Kristian is 1 for 2 so far in his first start at Visalia. They are pitching him low and away to avoid his power. He struck our in his first at bat, but hit a single on those low and away offerings in his second at bat.
Robinson went 2-4, 2 singles and a stolen base in his debut tonight. He won’t be in Visalia long. He needs to be challenged.
On his second night game at Visalia, Robinson again went 2-4, this time with his first HR. He’s batting .500. May get promoted to Hillsboro anytime now. He needs to be challenged.