Late Bloomer:
Imagine being a 19-year-old top prospect in baseball, flying high, living up to the MASSIVE expectations set upon you the second you were signed. You get called up to the Majors and almost immediately struggle. From that point on, you never quite live up to the lofty expectations that were placed upon you as a teenager. That’s what happened to Jurickson Profar for the last 12 years.
As a 16-year-old, Profar signed with the Rangers as an International Free Agent and was called up just three short years later. His first stint was marred by struggles and injuries, missing two full seasons from 2014 to 2015 with a shoulder injury. Since his return to playing in 2016, he has been an up-and-down player, to say the least. In 8 seasons between 2016-2023, he was worth a total of 5 bWAR. 2024, however, was a different story. He slashed .280/.380/.459 with an OPS+ of 134. He completely re-tooled his swing with Fernando Tatis Sr. last offseason and attributes much of that success to that work.
His 2024 was his best production yet as a Big Leaguer and it only took 15 years of professional baseball to get to where he currently is, but hey, at least he got there and at least he is now with the Braves.
My Thoughts:
Initially, when I saw the signing I was elated. I still am for that matter. Profar fits a lot of needs for the Braves including, switch-hitter, patience at the plate, does not strike out much, and can bring an edge in his attitude that the Braves desperately need. Let’s dive deeper though…
In 2024, he hit left-handed pitchers… hard. To the tune of a .300/.385/.500 slash line. He hit eight home runs, 6 2B, to go along with 31 RBI against lefties alone. The guy loves hitting right-handed (sounds like a current Braves second baseman). That’s not to say he doesn’t hit right-handers well, though. He slashed .273/.378/.444 against righties as well as a 132 sOPS+.
The patience at the plate is going to be a much-needed jolt for this Braves offense. Last year his BB% of 11.4 would have led all qualified Braves hitters and his K% of 15.1% would have been the lowest on the team. He walked more (20) than he struck out (17) against lefties and his contact skills are things the Braves have been sorely lacking over the past few years and quite frankly, may just be the spark this offense needs to go back to being a juggernaut.
His Baseball Savant page is a marvel to look at, too. The amount of red in the Chase%, Whiff%, BB%, and K% categories are all things the Braves desperately needed and are attributes that usually stick with players in the long run.
Where he hits in the batting order is something I also pondered.. last year, the spot he had the most success in the 3-hole, but we all know that is Austin Riley’s spot in the lineup. Profar held down the #2 spot for the Padres for 51 games (tied with the 51 games he spent hitting 3rd) and had his lowest OPS (.742) of any other spot he hit in. I think hitting between Acuña and Riley will be beneficial as he will see more pitches to hit in the zone.
Profar also hit the ball harder than he ever had in his career last year. He set career highs In Batting Average, On-Base Percentage, Slugging Percentage, wRC+, HardHit%, Barrel%, and much more.
The only downside is the glove work. Last year, as a primary Left Fielder, he had a -7 OAA… (NEGATIVE SEVEN). He is absolutely NOT known for being a good fielder, but we didn’t sign him for his glove. We signed him so he can hit and provide a jolt in this Braves offense.
Conclusion:
There is a lot to be excited about regarding the signing of Jurickson Profar. He brings a lot to the plate with his approach at the plate. He was signed to a 3-year $42mm deal which can be a STEAL of a signing if he keeps his production relatively close to his 2024 production. His blend of discipline and contact is a sight for sore eyes in this Braves line-up and I think we will see a much deeper and improved line-up that what we saw last year.
Thank you for reading! Please consider liking and subscribing to get notifications to all my articles posted right here on Substack. Please also check out my X account (Weaver_Cards) along with all members of The Skippers View. Thanks for the support!