Jurickson Profar (2B-TEX)

Injury – He sustained a muscle tear in his right shoulder while making a relay throw attempting to complete a double play in a spring training game last weekend.  The prognosis is that Profar will miss at least 10-12 weeks.

2013 Season – In his rookie season, Profar served as a utility infielder and only hit .234 with six home runs and 26 RBI.   

Reason For Optimism  

  • The injury does not require surgery so Profar should be back before the All Star break assuming he has no setbacks.
  • He has been one of baseball’s top prospects and will assume the starting second base job upon his return.
  • He is very young and resilient, so this is nothing more than a temporary delay before he begins his career as one of the best young players in the league.

 

Reason For Concern

  • A muscle tear in his throwing shoulder could be more serious than initially reported.
  • He struggled in his 286 at bats in 2013 and continued to struggle hitting in spring training.  This injury could set him back even further and make 2014 a lost cause.
  • The Rangers traded away Ian Kinsler with the idea of handing over the second base job to Profar, and their backup options are weak.  They could possibly trade for an established replacement and wait until 2015 before letting Profar take over.

2014 OUTLOOK – Profar was a better option for keeper leagues than redraft leagues this season.  He is still very young and hasn’t proven he can adjust to big league pitching yet.  This injury certainly decreases his value in redraft leagues, but it could also present an opportunity to get him in later rounds of keeper leagues too.  Assuming he does not have any setbacks, he should be back before the All Star break and will rejoin a potent Texas lineup.  We will need to monitor his rehab and gain a comfort level that the shoulder injury will not affect his swing.  Unfortunately, there are no viable fantasy options on the Rangers roster that are worth taking a flier on in his absence.

If you are wondering the best way to evaluate young players such as Profar, I've got just the thing for you. It's the 2014 Fantasy Alarm Draft Guide powered by BaseballGuys. There are a couple of articles detailing exactly how you can go about finding bargains on players who are on the comeback trail in 2014.

 

Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service.  You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment),