Prospect Q&A: Robertson ready for Rays

When the A's traded Addison Russell to the Cubs last July 4, it looked like Daniel Robertson was on the fast track to the starting shortstop job in Oakland. Seven months later, Robertson finds himself adjusting to new surroundings.

The former top A's prospect is now Tampa Bay's second-ranked prospect and No. 65 overall after the January deal that sent him, outfielder Boog Powell and big league catcher John Jaso to the Rays for infielders Ben Zobrist and Yunel Escobar.

Last year was a breakout season for Robertson, who batted .310/.402/.471 for Class A Advanced Stockton. The 2012 first-round pick topped the California League with 170 hits and 37 doubles, finished second with 110 runs scored, fourth in on-base percentage and sixth in batting average. He made the jump to Double-A Midland for the Texas League playoffs, where he batted .208/.367/.333 in seven games and won a championship with the RockHounds.

MiLB.com: You had a fantastic 2014. What are some of your thoughts looking back at a breakout campaign?

Daniel Robertson: One thing you've got to look at is being thankful for being able to play a full season and staying healthy. That group of guys and that coaching staff made it easy to come to the field every day. They kept it a fun atmosphere. When you're winning a lot of games, too, it makes it fun to show up to the clubhouse every day and get your work in. We didn't finish the way we wanted to or the way we expected to, but that stuff happens. It's a learning experience. Like I said though, it was a great group of guys, some lifelong buddies I made on that team, and the coaching staff, most of them will probably be in Double-A this year. I wish them all the best moving forward. It was a great, fun season.

MiLB.com: Your team had a lot of huge individual performances last season from guys like you, new No. 1 A's prospect Matt Olson, No. 3 Renato Nunez and Ryon Healy. What kind of atmosphere did that create in the clubhouse?

Robertson: Everyone was contributing. That just let everyone be free and easy and loose, just going out there and playing a kids' game that we play for fun. No one felt like they had too much pressure on them to go out and try to carry the team or anything like that. I felt like it was a collective group effort with contributions from everyone that helped each player ease up and play their game. The numbers were pretty eye-popping numbers for those individuals. We just kind of fed off one another. It just flowed with the team.

MiLB.com: What were some of the things that you were personally proudest of in your development last year?

Robertson: I feel like I controlled the strike zone really well. [ed. note: Robertson had 72 walks and 94 strikeouts in 642 player appearances.] They had me in the leadoff hole about all year, and I was just looking to get on base and let the big boys drive me in. That was my mind-set -- any way I could get on and let Matt Olson and Nunez and the big bats hit me in. I feel like from Beloit to Stockton, I made some strides. I made some strides defensively. I feel like I improved over at shortstop, kept putting in a lot of work there with our instructors and stuff. I'm still looking to grow in every aspect, no doubt. I know it's the Cal League, but the powers increase a little, too. It's all coming together. It's still a work in progress, but it's good when you see work being put in and results coming out.

MiLB.com: What was your experience like in the Arizona Fall League?

Robertson: The Fall League was a blast. Being there with some good buddies like Olson and Austin House and guys I've played with but also meeting new guys with other organizations you've maybe played against or heard about -- that's the true thrill that I got out of it, seeing all the competition with teams maybe you don't see during the year or haven't seen at all. Getting a chance to play in the [Rising Stars] Game, I met a lot more people there. It was just a blast. It was an easy, laid-back atmosphere. You wanted to learn something, you go up to hitting coaches or managers. They all have their own experience and knowledge, so you're just picking brains and trying to learn as much as you can. You're always trying to grow in this game. You can never stop learning and stop working. It was an honor to be a part of that.

MiLB.com: It looked like you were going to be the guy at shortstop for the A's after Russell was traded. Now that you've been traded, what have the last few weeks and months been like?

Robertson: [Laughs] Kind of right there. What I just did. Just laughing, but my whole mentality and motto is I'm going to go out and play baseball. I don't care who I'm playing for as long as I'm playing and having fun. That's what I'm going to do. It' a business and I understand that side. I wish Oakland the best moving forward and I can't thank them enough for the opportunities they gave me. From top to bottom, they're a first-class organization over there. They do what they have to do, just like with Addison. They traded him away to get some big league arms and try to make a run at it. Addison's gone, and here I am thinking I've got a shot here in Oakland in the next couple of years to get up there and see what happens. Then, boom, a couple weeks ago I get a call and I'm traded to Tampa Bay. A whole new journey is going to start for me and, like I said, I love going out there and I love playing. I don't care who it's for. Wherever they tell me to go play, I'm going to play. Now that I'm with the Rays, I'm excited to get started with them.

MiLB.com: Does it add any anxiety or uncertainty being traded during the offseason and having to wait a while before really getting into it with your new organization?

Robertson: I'm such a routine guy. I have a routine. I stick with it. The last couple of years, I was in Arizona. I had my place out there and it was just easy. I'm from Southern California, so it's just a quick four-hour drive to Spring Training. It's just little things like that. It's all part of it. You can't really control what happens, and going out to Florida, meeting new people, you never know what could happen. It's going to be a good experience out there. I'm looking forward to getting out there. Like I said, it's a little different change of scenery. Now it's a plane flight [to Spring Training], so I'm looking forward to getting out there and meeting with some of the Rays' front-office people and meeting some new players over there and getting going. We're all at that time of the year where we're getting that itch to get out there.

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MiLB.com: What has your offseason program been like?

Robertson: I'm just getting after it. Nothing has really changed from the last couple offseasons. I'm just getting my workouts in five, six times a week. Now I'm hitting three, four times a week. I'm not really working on specifically one thing, maybe just a little more explosive side-to-side movements. That's just stuff that comes as you mature and get older. You can work on it and try to improve on it. With my belief system, I think guys are just born with speed. You can work on running form and speed like I do, but some guys just have it and some guys don't. You can try as much as you want, but some guys are just naturally gifted with it. I do a lot of hardcore working out, training, throwing some weight around. I love working out in the offseason, and right now my body feels super-strong and healthy.

MiLB.com: You were the A's top prospect before the trade and you're one of the Rays' top prospects now. In light of that, do you set anything out for yourself as personal goals going into a season?

Robertson: I just go out and play and let it take care of itself. That's how I've played every year. I don't really go out and say I've got to hit 20-25 home runs, I've got to drive in so many runs, I've got to draw this many walks, I've got to hit .330. I just go out and play and have fun and do what I have to do and let it take care of itself. Whatever happens happens. If I go out and try to contribute and help my team win every night, I think you'll see results in yourself as well.