An Arizona Diamondbacks prospect will not be with the organization when the minor league season begins. Last year, Kristian Robinson was arrested for allegedly punching an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer in the face. And because of that, Robinson, 20, is in his native country of Bahamas and working through visa issues, his agent Kris Glazier told ESPN.
Robinson was arrested on April 5, 2020, just a few weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic began. He was charged with aggravated assault of a peace officer, and in a statement, Robinson said he was struggling with mental health issues. Police records revealed that Robinson was found by officers on the side of Interstate 10 in Phoenix. Robinson reportedly began walking into traffic lanes, leading to officers asking him to sit in the back of the patrol car and offered him a ride to the hospital. The Diamondbacks outfielder agreed but then attempted to exit the car and punched the officer in the face after he was asked to put on a seat belt.
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“Like so many, last year I was struggling to manage the stress of my personal life, the shutdown of the game I love and the overall global pandemic,” Robinson said in a statement issued by the team this week. “While struggling with my mental health I acted out of character and I was involved in an incident that I take full responsibility for. I would like to apologize to Trooper Lough and to my family, teammates, coaches and the D-backs organization, who I am extremely grateful to for supporting me through this very difficult situation.”
The Diamondbacks said they “have been intimately involved in helping Kristian deal with these personal issues since they first took place last year, working closely with him and his representatives to address these challenges.” They also noted that they “believe in him as a person and have witnessed first-hand the steps he has taken to address these issues, get the help he needs, and commit himself to being better in the future.”
Robinson is one of the top prospects for the Diamondbacks. In 2019, Robinson played for two different minor league squads and hit 14 home runs and 51 RBIs with a .282 batting average in 69 games. His production in 2019 led to him being named an All-Star by Baseball America and the MiLB.com.
