EMERSON, Ga. – Over the course of the past year, Munith, Mich., native Carson Robinson has been making a name for himself on the field, not just in his play, but because of the determination and hard work that he has put into playing baseball.

Robinson was born without a left hand, something that many would consider a stumbling block in their athletic career. The 15-year-old never let that stop him though, forging a love for playing the game of baseball from a young age. At that young age, his parents sought advice from former Major League pitcher Jim Abbott, who was born without a right hand.

“My parents have reached out to Jim Abbott when I was little to see what I should do to get my glove transfer all down,” Robinson said. “He gave me some stuff to do. He told us to get a tennis ball and with my glove, just throw it up against the wall and practice switching my glove over. He gave me a bunch of stuff to do, so ever since then it’s just been that pretty much.”

Abbott, a Michigan native like Robinson, went on to play college baseball at the University of Michigan before being selected with the No. 8 overall pick by the California Angels in the 1988 MLB Draft. A no-hitter on Sept. 4, 1993 against the Cleveland Indians topped off his solid professional career, inspiring many to overcome obstacles.

“Still to this day like in school if I get bored, I just look him up on YouTube and watch videos on him. He’s my biggest role model, so everything’s about the same with him with the transfer and stuff, so that’s what I do is just watch the stuff on him,” Robinson said.

The righthanded throwing Robinson began tirelessly working on the transfer that Abbott taught him, continuing to get better and better at it each day, to the point where his transfer of his glove to his from his left to his right hand is so smooth that if you blinked, you’d miss it. As he grew older, Carson continued to play at an advanced level, which made him realize that he could continue to play this game.

“I’d say it was probably 10u. I played local 10u with just a rec team in town. They moved me up to 12u to play in a tournament and I threw good there,” Robinson said. “Then we went and tried out for coach Dishman on the younger team, and I made that and that’s when it really all clicked and knew that I could do everything.”

Trying out for Tom Dishman’s Michigan Blue Jays team was just another step in the 2020 grad’s career, as there he would begin to play against better competition, having the opportunity to test his skill-set and grow as a player.

“Coach Dishman’s great,” Robinson said. “He’s always out there trying to get you exposed as much as you can. He always putting you in the best of the best tournaments. He’s always there for you if you need anything, he’s always there to help me, so it’s been really nice playing with him. All the kids on the team are great, so it’s been fun.”

“Well, it’s an inspiration to see a kid with a deficit just work through it,” Dishman said. “We talk to our kids, just try to put your clothes on with one hand, let alone hit a baseball. Hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in any sport. It makes our kids work harder because I think they appreciate what they have, too.”

Dishman, an associate scout for the Texas Rangers, said that Robinson is an excellent teammate and always carries a positive attitude, often using his sense of humor to lighten things up. Robinson does not want to be seen as different and does not want sympathy, rather he just wants to show his skills as a baseball player.

“His work ethic,” Dishman said. “He takes 500 swings a day off a tee. His work ethic is crazy. We give him the opportunity to do the things he does, but he does them outside out of our club. He’s a special kid man.”

The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Robinson features a smooth lefthanded swing that produces hard contact. Between the 15u WWBA and the 16u PG Summer Showdown Protected by G-Form, Robinson hit .361 (13-for-36) with seven doubles and 17 RBIs. He offered his approach at the plate that has led to his success.

“Just hit the pitch I want. Obviously, you want to see a fastball the first pitch, so if I see a fastball right down the middle first pitch, I’m obviously taking a hack. Trying to always stay ahead in the count when I’m up at the plate, I never want to be behind,” Robinson said. “Obviously, 0-2 just fighting off pitches, working the count and getting his pitch count up.”

Robinson’s extra-base hits were deep shots, too, with one of them bouncing on the warning track in straight away center field against the East Cobb Colt .45s in the 16u event at LakePoint. Dishman recalled that during a prior game in the 16u Showdown, an umpire was in awe of Robinson’s ability.

“It inspires everybody. Yesterday an umpire, [Carson] gets up to the plate, and he goes ‘You’re a superhero man.’ His whole attitude towards the game changed after he hit that double.”

On the mound, the righty possesses a low-80s fastball that earned him a spot on the Stockbridge High School varsity baseball team as a freshman. Robinson has taken that success to the mound this summer, throwing 7 2/3 innings, giving up five hits, while fanning four batters. Dishman knew from the very beginning the talent that Robinson had on the mound.

“He came to us when he was 12 years old, and once I saw him throw, I was like, ‘I’ll get you to college someplace, because you deserve to play there,’” Dishman said.

Robinson knows that things will not be given to him as he continues in his pursuit to play baseball at the next level. Just as Jim Abbott was an inspiration to Robinson, the 15-year-old can be seen as an inspiration to all baseball players, showing them that if you believe and work hard, good things can follow.

“Just keep grinding to get through everything,” Robinson said. “Nothing’s going to be handed to you, obviously, so just keep going until you get there.”