MLB Prospect Preview: Victor Robles
Photo: espn.com
We are exactly one month away from the beginning of the major league baseball season! As we continue our countdown, I will continue to preview one of MLB’s top prospects that is poised to enter the majors at some point during this upcoming season. Forrest Whitley, Bo Bichette, and Peter Alonso are among the players I’ve previewed so far, with the focus last week on Astros prospect Kyle Tucker. In this preview, I will be looking at Washington Nationals top prospect Victor Robles.
Photo: Katherine Frey/The Washington Post
Victor Robles
OF
Washington Nationals
Victor Robles is a special prospect because he has the best all-around tools of all MLB prospects. He is a complete 5-tool player, and is only one of two prospects with a 70 or higher scouting report in three different areas. The #4 overall prospect signed as a 16 year old with the Nationals in 2013 and has since spent the past five years growing up in the minors. He’s had two September call-ups with the Nationals in 2017 and 2018, where he’s collected 83 at-bats and a .277 average with three home runs and 14 rbi. Nationals fans have had to be patient with Robles, though. He was primed to break into the majors last season, but injured his elbow and had to sit out until July, where he was placed in Triple-A. Finally ready to show the league what he is capable of, Victor Robles will compete for the starting center field spot this spring, with an almost-certainty he will be there on opening day.
Unlike the other prospects I’ve previewed this offseason, Robles’ is most known for his speed and defensive ability, rather than hitting. That is not to say he isn’t a good hitter though, because he certainly is…it’s just to say he’s even better in the field. His speed is his biggest strength, grading out almost perfectly at a 75/80. Running at a rate of 29.3 feet/second, he is just behind Byron Buxton (30.5 feet/second), the fastest player in the majors. His great instincts, along with that speed, make him arguably the best CF prospect in baseball. He also has a cannon for an arm, so baserunners will have to be cautious when the throw is coming from center.
Robles’ hitting ability grades out at a 60/80 on the scouting reports, which means he is expected to be an above-average hitter. His speed will once again play a crucial factor in this part of his game, helping him to beat out infield hits and taking extra bases more often than most players. Last season he hit .278 in Triple-A and has a .300 average throughout his minor league career. At just 21 years old, he is still getting stronger, and should produce average power in the majors. He is expected to have a high on-base percentage, where he will wreak havoc on the basepaths.
Washington Nationals fans are more than ready to see Robles in the nation’s capital every day. With it being almost certain Bryce Harper will not return, it eases the burden knowing they have Victor Robles coming in to fill the outfield spot. Trea Turner and Robles should anchor the top of the lineup for years to come, with Juan Soto right behind them. That’s about as good of a young core as you can ask for. As a Braves fan whose team is filled with young talent, it should make for fun rivalries for quite a while.
Garett