Washington Nationals: Introducing center fielder, Victor Robles

As the Bryce Harper free-agency saga continues to unfold, the Washington Nationals prepare to open the 2019 season with Victor Robles in center field.

So far, Victor Robles has only appeared in 34 games for the Washington Nationals over the past two seasons, hitting .277 in just 83 at-bats. With Juan Soto’s electrifying rookie campaign last season combining with GM Mike Rizzo’s refusal to include Robles in any blockbuster trade for JT Realmuto, expectations for the young center fielder are at an astronomical height. At the very least, he should be an improvement on Michael A. Taylor in the lineup.

The Dominican phenom features blazing speed and outstanding defensive ability. Having watched every one of Robles’ Major League plate appearances, it’s safe to say that he has a short swing that can drive the ball to all fields. While he’ll still pull the ball at a rate over 40%, he is comfortable going the other way with pitches on the outside half of the plate.

In his short time at the highest level, Victor Robles has seen fastballs at a 54% clip, which is well over the MLB average. He has hit .323 and 10 of his 23 hits in the majors have come off the fastball. Expect him to see a wider variety of pitches as the league adjusts to his talent.

Like his teammate and fellow Dominican Juan Soto, Robles is an aggressive hitter early in the count when given the opportunity. In his brief time in the majors, he has swung at 36% of first pitch strikes. He goes up to the plate looking for the first pitch fastball. If it’s in the zone, he’s probably going to swing.

And when Robles swings at pitches in the strike zone, he makes contact at an 87% clip, which is just above the MLB average. In contrast, Michael A. Taylor made contact on just 77% of the balls he tried to hit in the strike zone during 2018.

While the speedy right-hander has only walked 4 times in 93 MLB plate appearances, his minor league numbers suggest that he possesses above average plate discipline. His K% never rose above 20% in the minors, and his BB% has consistently stayed between 6 and 8%. During his brief time with the Nationals, Robles hasn’t chased many pitches outside the zone, either. How disciplined he is in the batter’s box will be a major factor in his success at the plate this season.

While some may doubt Victor Robles’ ability to match Soto’s incredible rookie season, nobody should doubt his potential. The sample size isn’t very large, and ultimately because of his lack of time at the Major League level, these numbers may not mean much.

But looking at the way Robles approaches each at-bat and his ability to put hard contact on the ball anywhere in the strike zone bodes well for the future of the Washington Nationals.