High school and college career
Robinson graduated from Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida. He lettered in baseball and football there, and was All-State in both sports in his junior and senior seasons.[1]
Robinson then enrolled at Florida State University.[2] Robinson started all 68 games for the Florida State Seminoles in center field as a freshman, while batting .280. After the 2004 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star.[3][4][5] As a sophomore, he led the team with a .427 batting average, 96 runs (leading the NCAA), 122 hits, 25 doubles, .605 slugging %, .532 on base % and 49 stolen bases. He also set a school record by having a 40-game hitting streak, the 11th-longest in NCAA history.[1] His breakout effort earned him the 2005 Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year, the first Seminole to win the award since J. D. Drew in 1997. He was also named SEBaseball.com's ACC Player of the Year and was a candidate for every National Player of the Year honor. His numbers declined as a junior but he still put together a solid season, leading the Seminoles with a .361 average, 97 hits, 79 runs, and 32 stolen bases.
Professional career
St. Louis Cardinals
Robinson was drafted by the Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft out of Florida State University. He compiled a 21-game hitting streak from July 2–26, batting .372 (32-for-86) with a triple, three doubles, nine RBIs, and 17 runs scored. He hit .286 and scored 36 runs in 48 games out of the leadoff spot.
In 2007, he began the season with Class A Advanced Palm Beach County in the Florida State League, and stole a career-high 14 bases and hit .364 (8-for-22) with a home run and six runs scored during a six-game hitting streak from April 10–15. Robinson batted .294 (15-for-51) with a .379 on-base percentage in 14 games in May before heading to the disabled list with a broken foot. On August 20 he began a rehab assignment with the Gulf Coast League Cardinals.
In 2008, Robinson hit .352 with four homers, 46 runs scored, 32 RBIs, and 13 steals in 63 games with Double-A Springfield of the Texas League. He was Cardinals organizational Player of the Month for April, Texas League Player of the Week on May 12, and was a mid-season Texas League All Star.[6][1] On June 22 he was promoted to Triple-A Memphis and finished the season hitting .220 with 10 RBIs and 10 runs scored in 42 games.
On May 7, 2009, he had his contract purchased from Memphis after Rick Ankiel was placed on the disabled list. He made his major league debut that day.[7] Baseball America listed Robinson as the "Best Defensive Outfielder" in the Cardinals organization in its "Best Tools" survey.[1]
In 2010, Baseball America again rated Robinson as the "Best Defensive Outfielder" in the Cardinals organization in its "Best Tools" survey.[1]
In 2012, with the Cardinals Robinson batted .253/.309/.355 in 166 at bats.[8] He led all MLB rookies with 11 pinch hits, and was tied for 9th among all NL players.[1] Playing for the Class AAA Memphis Redbirds he hit .300/.388/.414 with five stolen bases in five attempts, in 70 at bats.[9]
In 2013 he batted .250/.345/.319 in 144 at bats.[8] Robinson played in 99 games, starting 30 (5 in left field, 21 in center field, and 4 in right field).[1]
For the 2014 season with the Cardinals, he batted .150/.227/.200 in 60 at bats.[8] Playing for the Class AAA Memphis Redbirds, he batted .304/.380/.398 in 191 at bats.[9]
Robinson was released by the Cardinals on November 19, 2014.[10]
Minnesota Twins
Robinson signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins on December 5, 2014. He made the Twins roster as an outfielder,[11] but on August 8, 2015 made his major league pitching debut in a 17-4 rout by Cleveland. In 2015 he batted .250/.299/.322 in a career-high 180 at bats.[8]
Cleveland Indians
After electing free agency following the 2015 season, Robinson signed a minor-league contract with the Cleveland Indians on November 19, 2015. His contract included an invitation to the Indians' 2016 spring training.[12] He was released on March 29, 2016.
Los Angeles Angels
Robinson was signed by the Los Angeles Angels to a minor-league contract on March 31, 2016.[13] He opened the season with the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, but was recalled to the Angels on May 1. He spent the remainder of the season with the Angels but was designated for assignment when Andrew Bailey was signed to the major league roster following the season. After clearing waivers, he was reassigned to Salt Lake.[14] Robinson refused the assignment and became a free agent on November 16.[15] He returned to the Angels on a minor-league contract one week later.[16] For the 2016 season, he batted .173/.257/.235 with the Angels in 98 at bats.[8]
Robinson attended 2017 major league spring training with the Angels, but was reassigned to their minor-league camp on March 27.[17] He had his contract purchased on July 19. Robinson was limited to just 20 games. For the 2017 season, he batted .194/.257/.194 with the Angels in 31 at bats.[8] Playing in 2017 for the Class AAA Salt Lake Bees, he hit .319/.370/.425 in 348 at bats, stealing 15 bases in 16 attempts.[9] He elected free agency after the season.
New York Yankees
On February 7, 2018, Robinson signed a minor-league contract with the New York Yankees with a $950,000 salary at the major league level and an invite to spring training.[18][19] He was called up to the Yankees on April 10 and played in two games before being designated for assignment when Aaron Hicks was activated from the disabled list. On April 16 he was sent outright to the minors.[20] He had his contract purchased again on July 26. He was designated for assignment on September 1.[21] He was outrighted to AAA on September 3. For the season, with the Yankees he batted .143/.208/.224 in 49 at bats.[8] Robinson declared free agency on October 10.
Philadelphia Phillies
On November 29, 2018, Robinson signed a minor-league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.[22] In 2019 with the Class AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs he batted .288/.367/.389 with 7 home runs and 31 RBIs in 306 at bats, as he stole eight bases in 11 attempts.[23] He became a free agent following the 2019 season.[24]
Atlanta Braves
On January 22, 2020, the Atlanta Braves signed Robinson to a minor-league contract with an invite to major league Spring Training. Robinson did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[25] He became a free agent on November 2, 2020.
Acereros de Monclova
On July 8, 2021, Robinson signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League.[26]
Post-playing career
On January 19, 2022, Robinson was hired by the San Diego Padres organization to serve as the bench coach for the San Antonio Missions, San Diego's Double-A affiliate.[27]
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