BURLINGTON, VT - The Oakland Athletics announced today that 2012 first-round draft pick Daniel Robertson has been promoted to the Vermont Lake Monsters from the Arizona League Athletics. He joins Addison Russell, Nolan Sanburn, and Michael Ynoa as highly touted Athletics prospects to be assigned to Vermont in the last few weeks.

Robertson was selected with the 34th overall pick in the 2012 MLB draft, a supplemental first-round pick given to Oakland when outfielder Josh Willingham signed with the Minnesota Twins. An Upland, California native, Robertson had previously committed to play baseball at UCLA before choosing to sign with Oakland.

Though he played shortstop in at Upland High School, Robertson will make the transition to become a full-time third baseman as a professional. Offensively during his senior year, Robertson hit .560 (42-for-75) with 41 runs, six homers and 36 RBI. Robertson played in 29 games for the Arizona League Athletics after signing his pro contract, batting .297 (25-for-101) with four home runs and 22 RBI.

Oakland's selections of Robertson and Russell surprised some this year, as both players signed directly out of high school. Russell and Robertson are the first high school players that Oakland has selected in the first-round since 2001.

With the addition of Robertson (34th overall pick), the Lake Monsters now have four of the top 74 players taken in the 2012 draft. Russell was the 11th overall pick in the first-round, while Bruce Maxwell the 62nd and Sanburn the 74th overall selection.

In a corresponding transaction, Vermont reliever Nate Eppley was promoted to the Burlington Bees of the Midwest League, replacing former Lake Monsters pitcher Julio Ramos who was placed on the disabled list.