WATCH: San Francisco Giants Prospect Drew Robinson Crushes Home Run 13 Months After Losing Eye in Suicide Attempt

Brandon ContesMay 12th, 2021, 4:57 pm
 

Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images

At 29 years old, San Francisco Giants prospect Drew Robinson is making a miraculous comeback to baseball, 13 months after losing one eye in a suicide attempt.

Robinson’s return to baseball reached a major milestone this week, as the right fielder crushed a solo home run for the Sacramento River Cats, in their Triple-A matchup against the Las Vegas Aviators. Try doing anything with just one eye and the lack of depth perception. Hitting a baseball seems nearly impossible.

Earlier this year, Robinson opened up about his struggles with mental health in a profile written by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. On the morning of April 16, 2020, Robinson completed a suicide note for his family. Hours later, in his Las Vegas home, Robinson used a handgun to shoot himself in the head.

Somehow, Robinson survived, alone, with a gunshot wound in his head, until 20 hours later, when he decided to dial 9-1-1. After he was hospitalized, Robinson’s eye was removed and eventually replaced with a prosthetic.

One year later, Robinson’s comeback to the baseball field began. A former fourth-round draft pick of the Texas Rangers, who played parts of three seasons at the Major League level, was now about to attempt the game professionally with only one eye.

“I’m trying to understand what I’m doing is really hard,” Robinson told Passan. “Even when I had two eyes, baseball was hard. I also don’t want to be a charity case. I’m trying to prove I deserve this spot. Trying to find that middle ground of appreciating things when they’re going wrong but trying to take advantage of this incredible opportunity.”

Robinson’s last Major League Baseball game came in 2019. As a member of the San Francisco Giants Triple-A affiliate the Sacramento River Cats, his comeback is already a feat to be proud of.

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