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MLB Rumors: Jurickson Profar and the San Diego Padres have agreed to terms on a three year, $21 million deal, per Jeff Passan.
While the Padres have been rumored to be in on Profar all offseason, this is still something that on its surface seems to be somewhat surprising. The Padres have Fernando Tatis, Jr., and Manny Machado entrenched on the left side of their infield, and while Jake Cronenworth had a strong rookie season, he has already been displaced at second base by the newly signed Ha-seong Kim.
Profar, of course, was one of the top prospects in baseball in the early part of the 10s, making his major league debut in 2012 with the Texas Rangers as a 19 year old. The Rangers moved him around between a variety of positions in 2013 in what was intended to be a super-utility role, then traded Ian Kinsler after the 2013 season to open up the second base job for Profar.
Profar missed all of 2014 and 2015 due to an injured shoulder, however, and his arm, which was a strength pre-injury, wasn’t the same after he returned. He bounced up and down between the majors and minors in 2016 and 2017, then had a solid 2018 season, putting up a 2.2 bWAR while playing all the infield positions, as well as left field.
The Rangers dealt him after 2018 in a three way deal with the Oakland A’s and the Tampa Bay Rays that netted the Rangers Brock Burke, Eli White, Kyle Bird and Yoel Espinal. Oakland acquired Profar to be their starting second baseman in 2019, but he struggled offensively and then got the yips on throws from second base, ultimately putting up just a 0.3 bWAR in 139 games.
The Padres acquired Profar after the 2019 season for Buddy Reed and Austin Allen, and Profar had a solid bounce back season, slashing .278/.343/.428 while getting the bulk of his playing time in left field.
Its not quite clear at this point how the Padres will utilize Profar, whose arm strength issues would largely seem to limit him to second base, first base and left field, although San Diego could feel he’s playable elsewhere in the infield and outfield. In addition, if there is a universal DH next year, as some think will happen, that opens up another lineup spot that the team can utilize.