Damon Oppenheimer, the Yankees' vice president and director of amateur scouting, said that their reviews of Robinett's talent and makeup made him an enticing pick late in the Draft.
"If it clicks, it's worth the gamble," Oppenheimer said. "At that point, I thought it was definitely worth the risk. It's West Point; you know you're getting makeup, you know you're getting perseverance. It's great."
Robinett, who was recently commissioned as a second lieutenant, was Army's ace throughout his senior season. The Bend, Ore., native hurled the fifth no-hitter in Academy history, blanking Longwood in a 1-0 victory, and also set the school's single-game strikeout record, fanning 21 batters in Army West Point's 8-0 shutout of Air Force.