Atlanta (AP) Jurickson Profar agreed to a three-year, $42 million contract with the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, less than a year after the outfielder got a $1 million deal from the San Padres Diego with spring training already underway.
Profar restarted his career with the Padres last year when he hit .280 with 24 home runs. Profar scored 94 runs, drove in 85 runs and had 10 stolen bases.
“Totting in his power was the one piece that was going to elevate his bat,” Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Thursday night. “We believe what he did last year is who he is going forward.”
Atlanta does not expect 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. to be ready for the start of the season. Acuña tore his left ACL on May 26 and had surgery on June 6.
“We don’t have an ETA on him yet,” Anthopoulos said of Acuña before adding “he’s fine.”
The Braves also signed Bryan de la Cruz to a one-year contract on December 16 to add infield depth, but otherwise had a quiet offseason before the addition of Profar.
Profar, a flip of the switch, will join Michael Harris, Jarred Kelenic, De La Cruz and Eli White as Atlanta’s top champs. Acuña could be ready to join the team in May or June.
Anthopoulos said Profar will play left field with Harris in center. Kelenic and De La Cruz could share time in a right field platoon while Atlanta waits for Acuña to return.
Profar enjoyed a long-awaited breakout at age 31 after signing a one-year deal with San Diego. Profar finalized his $1 million contract with San Diego on February 24 and earned an additional $2.5 million for plate appearances.
He made his major league debut with Texas as a 19-year-old considered one of the game’s top prospects and eventually earned his first start in last season’s game at Texas.
Profar set career highs in batting, home runs and RBI as well as with 158 hits. He was the starting left fielder for the NL in the All-Star Game and won his first Silver Slugger Award after the season.
Profar’s .280 batting average last season was only his third above .250. His career mark is .245 and he was released by Colorado after hitting .236 in 415 at-bats in 2023 before returning to San Diego.
Despite this, Anthopoulos was sold on Profar’s 2024 production.
“We evaluated the free agent market, the trade market at the beginning of the offseason,” Anthopoulos said, adding “we had Jurickson as the second best free agent bat” behind Juan Soto, who signed with the NL East Rival New York Mets.
Adding Anthopoulos: “It was based on last season and how well he played.”
Profar will earn $12 million in 2025 and $15 million in each of the following two seasons. He will donate 1% of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.
Profar, a native of Curacao, has a career .245 batting average over 11 seasons with 111 home runs. He has played every position except pitcher and catcher, but was primarily a left fielder last season.
Infielder Connor Gillespie was designated for assignment to open a roster spot.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
