ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers are in the market for a left fielder and it just so happens that there is a guy available who could fit the bill. Even better? He’s already been on the Rangers. It’s Jurickson Profar.
Profar was listed as MLB’s Top Prospect 10 years ago on the MLB Pipeline list but he has not lived up to that title in the 10 years since.
Brice Paterik, the host of the Locked on Rangers podcast did a crossover episode with Javi Reyes of Locked On Padres and they discussed Profar who has played for both teams.
Paterik said, “Since the news of the last Rangers pitcher’s signing, I have been like, ‘Alright, the Rangers need to get a left-fielder and a bullpen arm, and mainly a left-fielder. And I have just been going back and forth through all that and there is one left-fielder who is on the market who’s been on both of our teams’...”
Paterik went on to joke about how Profar was one of the first prospects he fell in love with when he first became a Rangers fan and how he hasn’t given up on him, or on the hope that he will break out someday.
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Profar made his debut with the Rangers back in 2012 when he played in nine games as a switch-hitting 19-year-old. In 2013, he appeared in 85 games hitting .234/.308/.336 with six home runs, 26 runs batted in, and 11 doubles, but after that, He had shoulder surgery in 2014, and after playing in the Minors for a while, he finally came back to MLB in 2016 when he played 90 games for the Rangers and hit .239/.321/.338 with five home runs and 20 runs batted in.
Profar finally broke out in 2018 when he reached the 20 home run plateau finishing with that exact number and batted .254 with 35 doubles in a career-high 146 games. It looked like maybe things were starting to happen for Profar after a lot of hype and a lot of disappointment. But right as he was getting things going, he was traded to the A’s as part of a three-team deal between the A’s, Rangers, and Rays at the end of 2018.
In 2019, he once again, hit 20 home runs, this time for the A’s, but his batting average dropped—he only hit .218 in 138 games. He was traded again at the end of 2019 to the Padres and last season, he reached a career-high in games with 152, and his offensive numbers rebounded a bit after a down 2021 in which he only hit four home runs in 137 games—he picked things up and hit 15 in 2022.
Profar is mainly an outfielder now but can also DH if needed. When he first came up, he played infield positions as well. Some people around baseball are surprised Profar is still out there for teams to sign and the Rangers aren’t the only ones with a need. It’s possible the Padres could bring him back. There were also rumors that the New York Yankees, who need a left-fielder, could be in on Profar but that remains to be seen.
Reyes, the host of Locked On Padres said about Profar, “With Profar, I don’t know what’s going on exactly, because, in theory, this is a player that should be really interesting. He’s a 2-3 win player and I think his defense may get a bit overvalued because of the insane amount of outfield assists he had in the first month (of 2022).” Both Reyes and Paterk go on to discuss how his numbers may have been inflated from the numbers in that first month and Paterik talked about how hyped Profar was as a prospect and how Rangers fans were hoping he’d become their Francisco Lindor. It didn’t happen.
Still, Paterik thinks it makes sense for the Rangers to take a chance on Profar and maybe there will be a reunion in the not-so-distant future because It would be perfect timing. Jurickson Profar turns 30 in three weeks, right as teams are reporting to Spring Training so will the Rangers be the ones to take a chance on him? Stay tuned.
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