Julio Robaina

Julio César Robaina

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11", Weight 170 lb.

• Born March 23, 2001 in San Antonio de los Baños, Artemisa Cuba

BR register page

Biographical Information

Julio Robaina has pitched as high as AAA and has been on the Cuban national team.

He was signed by Houston Astros scout Charlie Gonzalez. He was 0-4 with two saves and a 6.84 ERA for the 2018 GCL Astros. In '19, he pitched for the GCL Astros (3-1, 2.48, 41 K in 29 IP), Tri-City ValleyCats (0-1, Sv, 5.14 in 3 G) and Quad Cities River Bandits (0-1, Sv, 2 UER in 5 2/3 IP). The 2020 minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning to action in 2021, he was 4-1 with a 3.63 ERA for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers (4-1, 3.63 in 11 G) and Asheville Tourists (3-2, 3.90 in 6 G), striking out 88 in 77 innings. He tied Jimmy Endersby and Colin McKee for 4th in the 'Stros chain in wins.

With the 2022 Corpus Christi Hooks, he was 2-6 with a 6.81 ERA, striking out 84 in 80 2/3 innings but walking 61, after issuing 25 walks the prior year. He was 4th in the Texas League in walks, between Anthony Veneziano and Bryce Jarvis. In '23, he returned to the Hooks and improved to 10-6, 3.18. He led the Houston farm system in wins (one ahead of Spencer Arrighetti) and ERA (.16 over Nic Swanson). He was one victory behind TL leader Emerson Hancock, ranked 7th in K (114) and easily won the ERA title (1.16 ahead of runner-up Jack Cushing). Despite working 25 1/3 more innings than in 2022, he walked 13 fewer. That winter, he was roughed up with the Estrellas Orientales (11.05 ERA).

In 2024, he pitched for Asheville (2 R in 2 IP), Corpus Christi (1-5, Sv, 6.68 in 14 G) and Sugar Land Space Cowboys (2 R in 4 2/3 IP). With the Leones del Caracas in the winter, he was 1-0 with a 5.28 ERA. He spent most of 2025 with the Tigres de Quintana Roo (4-6, 3.17 in 16 G) and joined the Kansas City Monarchs (2 R, 1 ER in 5 IP). He was 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA for the Algodoneros de Guasave in the winter of 2025-2026.

Robaina then suited up for Cuba in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but was rocked for four hits and three runs in 1 1/3 IP in a loss to Puerto Rico's Elmer Rodríguez. Miguel Romero took over for him.