The Cubs are definitely getting creative this offseason trying to get as much pitching depth as possible. We’ve seen the low-risk, high reward minor-league signings, taking chances on a few veterans, other guys coming back from injury, but now the front office has a new resource to pluck pitchers from, the Driveline Baseball Program.
The innovative hitting and pitching program driven by data has already put the spotlight on left-hander Luke Hagerty, who was drafted in 2002 by the Cubs, and was just signed by the Cubs on Friday after being out of baseball for more than a decade. Read more about his incredible comeback story here, but the Cubs have also signed right-handed pitcher Robert Robbins.
Well shit, other people are blowing it up. Robert Robbins is our 7th signee from Driveline Pro Day, going to the @Cubs. He went down to Arizona to throw in tryouts and won himself a spot, betting on himself. #drivelinefamily https://t.co/iTPPImUXh6
— Kyle Boddy (@drivelinebases) February 5, 2019
Robbins played baseball at D-III Stevens Institute and after going undrafted he kept his playing career alive in the Frontier League. In 2016 and 2017, Robbins pitched for the Joliet Slammers and in 2018 the righty had a brief stint with the Windy City ThunderBolts, also in Illinois.
Good for him, though, as he’s done enough to earn an opportunity in the Cubs organization. He’s 24-years-old, seems to have some good movement on a few different pitches and his fastball is coming in the upper 90s.
So hyped for my guy Rob Robbins on his signing with the @Cubs. Here’s a very legit grey ww from a few weeks ago comin in at 97.5. DAS A PR!!! pic.twitter.com/N8gTTzvZse
— Rob Hill (@Berticushill) February 5, 2019
Free Agent Robert Robbins throwing some serious fuzz during live ab's #freeagent #mlb #drivelinefamily pic.twitter.com/Wd8WuvN8Wt
— Driveline Baseball (@DrivelineBB) March 3, 2018
Good luck to Rob. Keep that MLB dream alive.
