Jurickson Profar Is Baseball's Biggest Bargain

Profar is starring with the bat while making $1 million this season.

May 13, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar (10) is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Colorado Rockies during the sixth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports / Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Jurickson Profar has been a revelation for the San Diego Padres so far in 2024. He continued his red-hot start on Wednesday, smacking an RBI double and stretching his current hitting streak to 11 games in a 7-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Given his numbers to this point, Profar has emerged as the biggest bargain of the year.

The Padres signed Profar for $1 million in early February, but the deal can escalate by $1.5 million if incentives are met. He was available because for most of the 2023 campaign, Profar was one of the worst position players in baseball. He posted a -1.7 WAR in 111 games for the Colorado Rockies. Always regarded as an excellent clubhouse guy, the Padres added him to the roster late in the season and he seemed far more comfortable. This year, he has come out blazing.

Entering Thursday's action, Profar was second in the National League in batting average (.339), first in on-base percentage (.431), eighth in slugging (.517) and fourth in OPS (.949). He's also sixth in hits (59), ninth in walks (27), ninth in RBI (32) and 11th in runs scored (31). In addition, he has only struck out 28 times in 52 games. The same guy Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith called "irrelevant" earlier in the season is fifth in the NL in fWAR at 2.2. It's worth noting, Smith is eighth at 2.0.

Perhaps most importantly, Profar's wRC+ now sits at 176, which ranks fifth in all of baseball. The only players above him are Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Marcell Ozuna and Mookie Betts. He's in front of both Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. It's worth repeating that the 31-year-old is making a maximum of $2.5 million this season. He has essentially paid for himself already.

A look at Profar's StatCast page shows he is hitting the ball harder than he did in 2023, while also walking more and striking out less. His average exit velocity (90.3), bat speed and barrel rate are all up significantly over 2023 as well. His xwOBA of .376 is in the 87th percentile, while his xBA of .309 is in the 95th. In 2023, those numbers were .306 and .247 respectively.

Profar starred for Curaçao in the Little League World Series twice, leading the team to the championship in 2004 and a championship game loss in 2005. He was later ranked as baseball's top prospect while rising through the Texas Rangers' system, but injuries derailed his early seasons. A trade to the Oakland A's in December of 2018 didn't do much to turn things around. The Padres acquired him before the COVID-shortened 2020 season and he found his footing with consistent playing time. He became an integral part of the team over the next few seasons, posting a career-high 3.1 WAR in 2022 before opting out of his contract to pursue free agency. The offers he was expecting didn't come.

The Rockies finally signed Profar to a one-year, $7.75 million deal in March of 2023. He proceeded to have the worst season of his career and headed back to the Padres. The move has worked out for both parties.

Is Profar just hot to start the season, or this something that should have happened a long time ago for a player who has always had the talent? Time will tell. Profar's breakout is a great story, and he has established himself as the best bargain in baseball.