'You have to love it.' Chuckie Robinson's long journey to his Cincinnati Reds debut
PHILADELPHIA – There were 30 players selected in the 21st round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft and 23 of them are no longer playing professional baseball, many of them released within the following two seasons.
Two of the seven players who are still playing didn’t sign in 2016 and were redrafted in future years.
It takes a lot of perseverance for a low draft pick to survive several seasons in the minor leagues and it’s rare for players drafted that far down to reach the major leagues. It’s one of the many reasons why people are so happy for Cincinnati Reds catcher Chuckie Robinson, who was promoted to the majors on Tuesday and was in the lineup to make his MLB debut Wednesday.
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“I have been going at this thing since I was 4 years old,” Robinson said. “Started with my grandpa in a small town, doing a lot of things to get here. You have to love it. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t love it. I’m just happy and blessed to be in the position I am today.”
Chuckie Robinson's father and grandfather were professional catchers
Robinson, a Danville, Illinois native, is a third-generation professional catcher. His grandpa, Chuckie Sr., spent a season in the Chicago White Sox organization in the 1960s. His dad, Chuck, was in the Cubs’ farm system in 1991. Robinson is known as “Baby Chuck” to his family when all three are together.
He’s one of the few Black catchers to reach the majors in the last two decades. Charles Johnson, a four-time Gold Glove winner who last played in 2005, was the last African-American catcher who was a regular starter. The Canadian-born Russell Martin and Oakland's Bruce Maxwell are believed to be the last Black catchers to start more than 50 games at the position and neither has played since 2019.
“I was a late draft pick, always against the odds,” Robinson said. “I always try to keep that chip on my shoulder. It kind of adds fuel. I know I am representing a lot of people out there. I like being in the position I am in.”
Chuckie Robinson got his first taste of the majors at the Field of Dreams game
The 27-year-old Robinson had a small taste of the majors earlier this month. He was on the taxi squad for a week during the Reds’ last road trip, and he was on the active roster for the Field of Dreams game as the club’s 27th man, though he didn’t enter the game. He immediately returned to Triple-A Louisville afterward.
He was sitting in his car when he received a call from Louisville manager Pat Kelly on Monday. Kelly told him he was called up to the Majors and “it’s for real this time.” The first person Robinson called was his grandpa.
“They didn’t push baseball on me,” Robinson said. “I played all sports. I just gravitated towards it. I was good at it. My dad and grandpa both played. I guess it’s in my blood.”
Robinson, who started the season at Double-A Chattanooga, is hitting .266 this season with five homers, 10 doubles and 25 RBI in 58 minor-league games. He’s thrown out 24% of the runners who attempted to steal a base against him.
The benefit of spending time on the Reds’ taxi squad was an opportunity to work with catching coach J.R. House, sit on pitchers' meetings to run through scouting reports and a chance to catch bullpens to learn more about each member of the pitching staff.
“He’s impressed everyone that he’s come across in player development,” Reds Manager David Bell said. “He’s played well. He’s found ways to improve his game offensive, defensively. He’s absolutely earned the opportunity. Very well liked, very well respected on teams he’s been on. It’s great to have him.”
Defying the odds to play in the majors as a late-round draft pick
Robinson defied the odds on his journey to his MLB debut. He is just the second player who was drafted in the 21st round of the 2016 draft to play in the majors, and the other, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Wil Crowe, went back to college and was a second-round pick the next year.
He joined the Reds after he was taken in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 draft in Dec. 2020. Forty-nine players were picked before him, and he wasn’t even the first catcher the Reds selected.
“I’m excited, man,” Robinson said. “I worked a really long time to get here.”