Top Chicago White Sox prospect Robert making most of opportunity in Arizona
Luis Robert's first professional season started in spring training nearly nine months ago.
Robert is still in Glendale, Arizona, home of the Chicago White Sox's training complex, but the 21-year-old outfielder isn't burned out from such a long stretch of baseball.
One of the Sox's top prospects, Robert is gaining needed playing time and experience in the Arizona Fall League after missing four months with two injuries to his left thumb and wrist.
"Any time you miss time on the field, it will delay your progress, especially for a young player as I am," Robert said through Sox translator Billy Russo. "On the other side, all that time I was off the field helped me adjust to this process in this new country.
"That's something I feel good about. Even though I need the time on the field to development, the adjustment process has been good."
Joining the White Sox in late May 2017 after agreeing to a $26 million signing bonus, the Cuba-born Robert severely sprained a ligament in his thumb during a March 7 Cactus League game. That sidelined him nearly three months.
Robert reinjured the thumb in late June while playing for high Class A Winston-Salem and missed five weeks.
The pair of setbacks limited Robert to 50 games this season, and he combined to hit .269/.333/.360 with Winston-Salem, low A Kannapolis and the AZL White Sox.
Playing in the Arizona Fall League was a welcome option to keep Robert on the field, and he's making the most of the opportunity.
In 12 games with the Glendale Desert Dogs, Robert is slashing .367/.415/.449 with 1 home run and 8 RBI.
"I've been learning a lot, especially facing the good pitchers we face here every day," Robert said. "That will help my development process. I've been working on my swing, trying to barrel the ball and cover the strike zone better. Those are the main things I've been working on."
Sox general manager Rick Hahn said the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Robert eventually is going to hit for power, even though he failed to clear the fences during the season. Hahn pointed to the thumb/wrist injuries and said they sapped some strength.
Robert finally homered on Oct. 29 in the Arizona Fall League, and he said more are coming.
"I think my power is there," Robert said. "It's true that when I came off the DL, I wasn't feeling fine with my wrist and I couldn't swing the bat very hard.
"But I feel better and right now I feel 100 percent. I don't have any pain or soreness. My power is there. I think it's going to be showing up little by little. I'm confident. I know I'm going to hit homers."