The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

With a pair of Bahamian players on its roster, the AZL Diamondbacks clinched its first-ever playoff berth in the Arizona Rookie League.

Kristian Robinson and Dominique Collie helped the Diamondbacks to secure the playoff spot when they swept Sunday's doubleheader with 6-4 and 8-7 wins over the AZL Rangers at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona.

They rallied from a three-run deficit in the seventh inning and improved to 27-15 overall, second in the AZL East.

Robinson went 2-4 with one run scored and a team-high three RBI while Collie went 0-4. Robinson's double in the seventh inning plated Kevin Watson and he would eventually score on a David Garza double. The Diamondbacks took an 8-5 lead at the end of the inning and surrendered just two runs in the bottom half to hold on for the win.

In game one, Robinson was again 2-4 with one run and three RBI and Collie was 0-2.

Prospects

Robinson entered the Arizona Diamondbacks as one of its most highly touted prospects of last year's international signing period and has lived up to those lofty expectations so far in the Arizona Rookie League.

He hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games and is currently in the midst of a six-game hit streak.

Robinson is listed as the No.12 prospect in the Diamondbacks organisation.

The D-backs are preaching patience and caution when talking about Robinson, noting that coming from the Bahamas isn't the same as coming from a place like the Dominican Republic in terms of experience.

They see Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts as a potential model, one who played in the Dominican Summer League for his first summer of pro ball, while Robinson was able to make his debut in the United States, playing in the rookie-level Arizona League in 2018.

Through 38 games, he is hitting .271 with a .758 OPS, .339 OBP, 31 RBI, four home runs, 11 doubles, seven stolen bases and scored 33 runs.

Some of his highlights this season so far include 3-4 with three runs and one stolen base against the Athletics and 2-6 with one home run, four RBI, three runs scored and one stolen base against the Giants.

Collie is batting .143 with six hits, nine runs scored and four RBI.

His top performance of the season was 2-3 and with two runs and one RBI against the AZL Reds.

Last season, he spent 37 games in the Dominican Republic and hit .245 with a .717 OPS, .394 OBP, six RBI and scored 18 runs with two stolen bases.