SPRINGDALE — Clint Robinson still recalls taking a curtain call at Arvest Ballpark on the final day of the regular season in 2010.

He had just secured the third Triple Crown in the long, storied history of the Texas League while playing for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. That memory remains the highlight in his professional baseball career, so he was pleased to be invited to be a part of the Hot Stove luncheon Monday at the Holiday Inn to kick off the seventh season of Naturals baseball.

Robinson, who was the first inductee into the Naturals Hall of Fame last year, was joined at the event by Kansas City Royals owner and chief executive officer David Glass, new manager Vance Wilson and former Naturals pitcher Buddy Baumann.

“It was pretty special how hard my teammates fought to give me the chance to get that Triple Crown,” said Robinson, who lives in Fayetteville with his wife. He’s still chasing his dream of playing in the Major Leagues after signing a free agent minor-league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the off season.

Wilson, a Springdale resident and veteran of eight Major League seasons as a player, will begin his fifth season as a minor-league manager and first with the Naturals, following in the footsteps of Brian Poldberg, who managed the Naturals for the first six seasons.

He’s especially excited to have the chance to manage at home.

“Obviously I know how special this opportunity is,” Wilson said. “I can’t think of maybe one coach I ever played against or managed against who got to do it in their hometown. The sacrifice for us has been family, so for that to now be a part of it — it’s an exciting time for the Wilsons.

“Also to come to a higher level and help shape players and get them ready for the Major Leagues, that’s also very special.”

Glass, who lives in Northwest Arkansas and attends Naturals games, said it’s hard to believe the team is getting ready for its seventh season.

“I remember maybe 15 years ago, Frank Broyles and I used to talk about maybe getting a Single-A team here in Northwest Arkansas,” Glass said. “To think we have a Double-A team in the Texas League — which I think is the best of all the Double-A leagues — it’s great competition in this league, and Northwest Arkansas has supported it very well.

“We’re excited about having Vance here. He’s really, really good with the young kids. He’s going to do a great job.”

The Naturals roster won’t be known for sure until late March, but Wilson said chances are good it will look similar to the end of last season.

Players such as outfielder Jorge Bonifacio and starting pitcher Jason Adam, who are ranked among the top 10 minor prospects in the Royals organization by Baseball America, will likely start with the Naturals, Wilson said.

Pitcher Kyle Zimmer, the Royals top-rated prospect, finished the season in Northwest Arkansas, but Wilson wasn’t sure he would be back with the Naturals.

“You never know how things are going to go,” Wilson said. “Spring training is competitive.”

Glass is also excited about a wave of talented prospects in the lower levels of the Royals’ minor-league system, which could be in Springdale before the end of the summer.

“We have some kids in High-A ball that I’ve been really anxious to see that will wind up here some time during the course of the year,” Glass said. “So Vance is not only going to have a good nucleus here to start with, but he’s going to have some good kids coming.”

David Glass, from left, president of the Kansas City Royals, chats Monday with pitcher Buddy Baumann and former Northwest Arkansas Natural Clint Robinson at the Holiday Inn in Springdale.