Giants Drew Robinson to retire, join team as mental health advocate

Just over a year after a suicide attempt took his right eye, Drew Robinson announced his retirement from baseball and move to the Giants front office.

Although his comeback on the playing field is over, Drew Robinson will continue down his courageous path.

On his Twitter account Friday evening, Robinson announced he will retire from baseball after the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats series against the Round Rock Express concludes.

The 29-year-old Robinson spent most of this season with the River Cats after returning from an incident many didn’t think he’d return from. In April of 2020 after a battle with mental illness, Robinson shot himself in the head and survived. However, damage from the gunshot forced doctors to remove his right eye.

Robinson, who played as an outfielder with both the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers organizations during his 11 year career, was signed by the Giants to a minor league deal this season after his recovery. His most memorable and emotional highlight on the field this season was his first home run as a River Cat.

Giants: Drew Robinson still playing a role in the sport he loves

Robinson played in 35 games in Triple-A this season before calling it quits and announcing he would be taking a job as a mental health advocate in the Giants front office. Ever since his return he has been a source of positive energy for his teammates, and hopes to continue to be just that.

“For the Giants to believe I can help other players address their emotional well-being more comfortably and gain insight from my lessons learned is truly humbling,” Robinson said. “I can’t fully describe what these last 15 months have been like, but some of the most rewarding times were persevering through the physical and mental challenges I faced while attempting this comeback.”

As he begins his transition from the ball field to his new position in the front office, Robinson is quick to point out that the game saved his life and he couldn’t have done it without those around him.

“To all the front office personnel, coaches, trainers, field personnel, and teammates that were like family that I was lucky enough to be around, I hope you enjoyed our time spent together as much as I did,” he said. “The memories and relationships throughout are things I think about or talk about almost daily.”