Outfielder Jurickson Profar has discovered a staff, no less than for the length of the World Baseball Classic. Profar, the closing free agent to be had on CBS Sports’ best 50, will swimsuit up for the Netherlands when the event starts subsequent week, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.
Profar, 30, spent the closing 3 seasons with the San Diego Padres. Although he is by no means lived up to his previous billing as arguably the highest prospect in the game, he has established himself as a valid big-league participant. Indeed, he batted .244/.333/.375 (103 OPS+) with 26 house runs and 22 stolen bases in 345 video games with the Padres. His overall contributions have been value an estimated 4.4 Wins Above Replacement, in keeping with Baseball Reference.
Profar had performed neatly sufficient with the Padres to earn the twenty eighth spot on our free-agent ratings. Here’s what we wrote on the time:
This is not the profession evaluators anticipated from Profar again after they projected him to change into an All-Star shortstop, however it is a decent approach to make a dwelling all of the similar. His bat nonetheless does not have compatibility the corner-outfield archetype: he is extra about walks and singles than house runs, and his ball-tracking knowledge extra intently resembles Jake Cronenworth’s than it does Kyle Schwarber’s. There’s price in what Profar does, on the other hand, and destiny could have led him to the open marketplace at the easiest time. It’s no less than conceivable that the Cleveland Guardians’ luck with a lineup of an identical hitters may encourage the copycats across the league to overindex on touch and walks, to the level that Profar advantages with a bit additional coin than he would’ve netted differently.
Unfortunately for Profar, no matter copycat habits went on did not contain him. Instead, it is been tricky to find new rumors relating to his standing. Back in January, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal linked Profar to the Baltimore Orioles whilst noting that the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers may additionally make sense as a touchdown spot. The Orioles and Yankees have proceeded with their interior choices in the month-plus since. The Rangers, in the meantime, have since signed fellow free agent Robbie Grossman to a one-year pact.
Profar, then, would possibly now not discover a staff till an incumbent outfield possibility suffers an damage. In the intervening time, he must be grateful that it is a WBC yr — differently, he do not have some way to acquire sport repetitions whilst he waits for an acceptable be offering.