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Roberto Antonio Petagine Hernandez (; born June 7, 1971) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player of Italian descent. His Major League Baseball career includes brief stints with the Houston Astros (1994), San Diego Padres (1995), New York Mets (1996 and 1997), Cincinnati Reds (1998), Boston Red Sox (2005), and Seattle Mariners (2006); but he is best known for his success in the Central League between 1999 and 2004 where, as a member of the Yakult Swallows (1999–2002) and Yomiuri Giants (2003–2004), he was among Nippon Professional Baseball's premier offensive players.
A solid contact hitter who used the whole field with occasional pull power, the young Petagine was indeed most noteworthy for his control of the strike zone, and more specifically for the exceptional rate at which he drew walks. His breakout years were in 1992 through 1994, as he moved through the minors to Triple-A, cumulatively averaging an OBP above .400 and a .500+ slugging percentage.
Baseball America twice ranked him among the Astros' top ten prospects (in 1992 and 1994 Houston Astros Baseball America Top Ten Prospects, 1992 - 2013); he was a three-time All-Star (1996–1998) in Triple-A; and he won the International League MVP Award in back-to-back years: 1997 as a member of the Mets' Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk Tides and 1998 as a member of the Reds' Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis. Despite his early successes, though, Petagine would never become a regular in the majors, nor receive much chance to play his way into the role; he was traded three times between December, 1994 and February, 1998, and in December 1998 the Reds sold his contract to the Yakult Swallows.
In 2003–04, Petagine became the highest-paid baseball player in Japan. The Giants acquired him to take the place of Hideki Matsui, who had signed with the New York Yankees to play in Major League Baseball. However, Petagine was often forced to play as an outfielder because the Giants already had a first baseman in Kazuhiro Kiyohara. Still, he put up excellent numbers at the plate for those two seasons, producing a total of 73 home runs and 165 RBIs.
The Red Sox declined to sign Petagine for the 2006 season. He signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners, and was invited to spring training. After a productive spring, he made the major league team as a backup to Richie Sexson. On July 9, 2006, he was designated for assignment by the Mariners.
To start the 2008 season, Petagine played first base for the Diablos Rojos del Mexico of the Mexican League. In 37 games, he batted .372 with six home runs and 27 RBIs.
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