MLB Trade Rumors: Jurickson Profar traded to Oakland A’s

MLB Trade Rumors: Jurickson Profar has been traded to the Oakland A’s by the Texas Rangers, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jeff Passan on Twitter. Profar, who has two years of team control remaining, had a breakout year in 2018, and was slated to be the Rangers’ starting third baseman, although his best position appears to be second base.

No word yet on the return. I will update as more information becomes available.

UPDATE — Jeff Passan says it is a three-way deal that also involves the Tampa Bay Rays. My head is spinning. The deal involves “multiple major leaguers and minor leaguers . . . plus a draft pick and international $.”

UPDATE II — Passan says the Rangers are getting Eli White and the #38 pick in the draft from Oakland, who are sending Emilio Pagan to Tampa. Passan also says that Brock Burke is going to the Rangers.

UPDATE II.5 — Ken Rosenthal and Evan Grant both say the Rangers are getting four players in this deal, all minor leaguers, and Rosenthal says the Rangers are also getting international slot money in the deal.

UPDATE III — Some info on the prospects. Eli White is a 24 year old infielder who was an 11th round pick out of Clemson by the A’s in 2016. He slashed .306/.388/.450 for Midland last year while playing second base, shortstop and third base. He was #17 on the MLB Pipeline list for the A’s, though that list hasn’t been re-ordered after 2018. Baseball America had White at #8 on their list, calling him “the best pure hitter” in the A’s system, though they say he can’t stick at shortstop.

Brock Burke is a lefthander who was a 3rd round pick out of Evergreen, Colorado, in 2014. He split the 2018 season between high-A and AA, and struck out 158 batters in 137.1 innings while walking 44.

UPDATE IV — Here is the deal, per Passan:

Oakland gets Profar

Texas gets Burke, White, Kyle Bird, Yoel Espinal, and international money

Tampa gets the 38th pick in the 2019 draft, Emilio Pagan, and Rollie Lacy

UPDATE V — Some info on the other two guys...Kyle Bird is a 25 year old lefthander who was a 35th round pick of the Rays in 2014. He was primarily a reliever last season, pitching in AA and AAA, and putting up a 2.39 ERA in 75.1 IP with 88 Ks against 35 walks. Yoel Espinal, 26, is a righthanded reliever out of the Dominican Republic. He split the 2018 season between high-A and AA, working 64 relief innings, striking out 79 and walking 32.

UPDATE VI — The deal is official. Bird and Burke are on the Rangers’ 40 man roster, and Profar is off, so the Rangers 40 man is now at 36.

UPDATE VII — Per T.R. Sullivan, Jon Daniels said the Rangers talked extension with Profar but “didn’t get very far.”