Oakland Ballers Sign Left-Handed Starter

The B's have signed a 6-foot-5 southpaw

The Oakland Ballers (a.k.a B's) have announced that they have signed left-handed starter Trae Robertson for the 2024 season. Robertson was drafted by the Kansas City Royals out of high school in the 38th round of the 2018 Draft, but did not sign. He instead went first to Missouri, then to Kansas State as a grad transfer. 

He was used primarily as a reliever in college with 33 of his 39 appearances coming out of the 'pen, but in the MLB Draft League this past season he made nine appearances and eight of those were starts.

He held a 5.93 ERA in those nine appearances spanning 44 innings, striking out 35 and walking 22. His pitching coach in the Draft League was Ray King, who is now the B's pitching coach. 

King said of the signing, “I’m looking forward to having Trae again on my pitching staff. He’s another bulldog and he can play a number of roles, either starting or coming out of the bullpen. He’s a tall lefty and he knows how to control the running game too.”

Robertson, 24, is also listed at 6-foot-5, which can be an imposing frame for hitters. He is also just the second pitcher announced as a member of the Ballers' roster, joining Danny Kirwin, a 6-foot-2 right-hander. 

The B's also announced that they have added a member of the St. Louis Cardinals 2006 World Series team to their coaching staff recently.

The Ballers will make their home debut in their inaugural season on June 4th, 2024 against another California expansion team that has yet to be announced. You can pick up your B's gear over at the Oaklandish website where they are taking pre-orders on hats after their initial stock flew off the shelves. In the meantime, they have shirts and hoodies to tide over eager Ballers fans.