Rangers, Profar Agree to Contract

Jurickson Profar, who has missed all of the past two seasons due to a shoulder injury, has agreed to a one-year, $605,000 contract according to Jeff Passan.

It's an odd case, to be sure, but Profar found himself arbitration-eligible due to accruing Major League service time while on the disabled list over the past two seasons. Once the top prospect in baseball, Profar has proven to be something of an enigma due to the recurrence of a shoulder injury that the Rangers now believe is the result of a labral tear suffered back in 2010.

For now, doctors believe they've solved the problem that has kept Profar from being able to fully recover, but he has missed two years in what is normally the most important period of development for a young player.

The talent is certainly still there, but it's likely that it will take some time for Profar to get anywhere close to being ready to contribute to the Major League club. He could spend most, if not all of the 2016 season in the minors just to get steady at-bats. At that point, if he shows glimpses of his former self, he could prove to be useful to the Rangers either as a player, or as a trade chip.

With his recent injury history involving a shoulder, it's unclear whether or not Profar can stick at the shortstop position. Prior to the 2014 season, he was expected to be the team's full-time 2nd baseman after the organization traded Ian Kinsler to Detroit for Prince Fielder. Of course, since then, Rougned Odor has taken hold of that position, even prompting David Schoenfield to predict that Odor will become the best 2B in baseball in 2016.

If Profar manages to stick at SS, it's entirely possible that Elvis Andrus could see his days in Texas numbered. There is, of course, the contract, but over the last two seasons, Elvis has come nowhere close to living up to the deal. Can he still provide value? I would argue that he can. However, if Profar can come somewhere close defensively while providing an uptick in offense from the SS position, that would be something that could bode well for the Rangers over the next 4-5 seasons at the very least.

For now, Profar will make a fairly healthy amount of money compared to most minor league players. At the very least, he'll be under club control through 2019. This year will be his season to prove that he can not only be a valuable asset, but that he can perhaps provide some excess value at a premium position.