Still only 23 years old, former Texas Rangers top prospect Jurickson Profar is seemingly a forgotten man in baseball circles.
The infielder missed each of the past two seasons with shoulder injuries, forcing him from the diamond at a time when he was expected to mature into an every-day player.
Now, in his first action since the 2013 season, Profar has impressed in limited playing time with the Rangers this season.
The Curacao native is hitting .318 with a .366 on-base percentage in 132 at-bats on the season, adding four homers and 14 RBI in the process.
With his Rangers squad firmly in control of the American League West, they are now likely moving on to a postseason mentality, at least internally.
In this, Texas figures to be players in the trade market. Despite boasting a 55-39 record, there are still holes to be filled here.
And at least one report is suggesting Profar is the name that’s come up the most when other teams contact the Rangers to engage in trade discussions.
“Expect the Rangers’ phones to continue to ring heavily from other teams checking in on Profar’s availability,” T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reported on Tuesday. “Major League sources said the club is getting a “ton of calls” on Profar, with the Rays high among the callers.”
Tampa Bay surely is an interesting team in the grand scheme of things.
It had previously been reported that the Rays and Rangers were in discussions involving a deal that would send Jake Odorizzi to Texas (more on that here).
Joey Gallo was among the names mentioned as a possibility to be heading to Tampa Bay in the hypothetical deal. If the Rangers can still acquire Odorizzi while keeping Gallo in the mix, it would be the best-case scenario for the team.
As it is, Texas is obviously interested in upgrading a roster that currently boasts the best record in the American League. And if Profar is the name that’s moved in order for the team to do so, no one should be terribly surprised.