Utilityman Daniel Robertson has agreed to a $900,000, one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers that allows him to earn an additional $400,000 in performance bonuses.
Robertson batted .333 with no homers and two RBIs in 17 games with the San Francisco Giants last season while making appearances at shortstop, second base, third base and the outfield. His contract was purchased from Tampa Bay on Aug. 23, and he had $157,808 in prorated earnings during the shortened season.
He would earn 50,000 each for 250 plate appearances and each additional 50 through 550.
“I feel like the game’s kind of evolving that way,” Robertson said Thursday. “Organizations like to carry a couple of guys that are kind of that Swiss Army knife, who can do a bunch of things. I feel like five years ago, maybe a little bit longer, you had that one kind of guy, that (Ben) Zobrist kind of guy. The game’s evolving and there’s more guys that are putting themselves in that kind of situation or position.”
Robertson, who turns 27 on March 22, had spent the previous three seasons with Tampa Bay and had played at least 74 games in each of them. The Oakland Athletics drafted him in the first round with the 34th overall pick in 2012.
He has a career batting average of .234 with 16 homers and 74 RBIs in 249 games. He has a .342 on-base percentage and .354 slugging percentage.
Robertson has made 109 career appearances at second base, 81 at third base and 74 at shortstop.
“I would say if any position is my most natural and just instinctual, I love playing third,” Robertson said. “But obviously I really have put a lot of work in to play the other two positions and still enjoy those other opportunities as well. I’m just going to keep working, show up to spring ready for any position and just kind of see what happens.”
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