The Braves made their first splash of the 2025 offseason, coming to an agreement on a free-agent contract with 2024 breakout Jurickson Profar, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The club has not confirmed the move.
It took until Profar’s age-31 campaign — his 11th season in the Major Leagues — for him to seemingly break out, but he certainly proved it’s never too late to shine. In his second stint with the Padres, after hardly playing in 2023, Profar posted a .280/.380/.459 slash line as San Diego’s starting left fielder in ‘24. He hit 24 homers, drove in 85 runs and stole 10 bases, earning National League All-Star honors and cementing himself as another big bat along with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado in the Padres’ lineup.
It was a stellar season largely backed up by Statcast quality-of-contact metrics, which ranked Profar above the 90th percentile in MLB in expected wOBA (.364) and expected batting average (.283). He proved to be a disciplined hitter, walking at an impressive 11.4% clip, striking out only 15.1% of the time and ranking in the 90th percentile in both chase rate and whiff rate.
Profar, who came up through the Minors as a shortstop, has now seen the most Major League action in left field, making 499 career appearances there compared to 219 at second base, 104 at short and 89 at third. He graded out as a poor defender in left in 2024 (-7 Outs Above Average), but thanks to his bat, Profar was worth 3.6 bWAR.
It was handily Profar’s best offensive season, as he came into 2024 with a career .706 OPS before posting an .839 OPS with the Padres. He debuted with the Rangers in 2012 as a 19-year-old and played in 85 games the following season, but after a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery to repair a torn labrum in 2014, he missed two whole seasons and didn’t return to MLB until 2016. Profar was traded to the A’s after the 2018 season in a three-team deal, then dealt to the Padres a year later.
After showing a bit more prowess with the bat in 2022 (.243 BA, .723 OPS), Profar signed a one-year, $7.75 million deal with the Rockies for ‘23. He was released by Colorado in late August and signed by San Diego to a Minor League deal before re-upping with the Padres for 2024.
Breaking news: Jurickson Profar, Braves agree to free-agent contract
According to sources, the Atlanta Braves have reached a deal with free-agent infielder Jurickson Profar. The terms of the contract have not been disclosed, but it is expected to be a multi-year deal.
Profar, 28, is coming off a solid season with the San Diego Padres, where he hit .234 with 7 home runs and 34 RBIs in 129 games. Known for his versatility, Profar can play multiple positions in the infield and outfield, providing the Braves with added depth and flexibility.
Braves fans are sure to be excited about the addition of Profar to their lineup, as he brings a mix of power and defense to the team. Stay tuned for more updates as the details of the contract are revealed. #GoBraves #JuricksonProfar
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