Luis Robert signed a six-year, $50M contract this offseason, locking him into the Opening Day roster. He creates an outfield of the future for the Chicago White Sox of Eloy Jimenez, Robert, and recently acquired Nomar Mazara (who opens the season on the IL).
Robert brings a rare combination of speed and power that saw him top 30 doubles, home runs, and steals a season ago, something MLB.com points out hasn’t happened in the minors since 1961. He was nearly a consensus top five prospect in all of baseball, and he will get the opportunity to show why when he bats seventh in the White Sox opener.
He has plus speed and very good defensive instincts that will allow him to stick in center, but a cannon of an arm that would be more than enough to hold down right. At the plate he hit a career .314 when still in Cuba and a teenager, and has hit nearly as well, .312, in his minor league career. He has an OPS of .932 in the minors, including over 1 over three levels a season ago.
Robert has all the makings of a future star and multi-time All-Star, but there is still plenty of refinement needed. While the ball absolutely flies off his bat, he has struck out nearly four times to every walk, and nearly six times a season ago, so there is plenty of room for improvement in his plate discipline. 11 of his career 18 caught stealing came a season ago, again pointing to the fact there is refinement to be made in the baserunning department.
He will certainly have an impact with the White Sox this season and is the favorite to be named Rookie of the Year, but it is the seasons to come that should have Sox fans truly excited.
THREE QUARTER SLOT 