(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
   Jurickson Profar signs big three-year contract with Atlanta Braves
Nederlands
 ATLANTA, Georgia (USA) -
Curaçao-born outfielder Jurickson Profar will play for Atlanta Braves in the upcoming three seasons.
On Thursday (January 23), it was annnounced that the 31-year old Profar has signed a big, 3-year contract with the club, worth 42 million dollar.
It was added that Profar will earn 12 million dollar this year and 15 million in each of the next two seasons.
...Jurickson Profar playing for the...
...Netherlands Team during the...
...2023 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
After completion of last season, Profar, who will turn 32 next month (February 20), was a Free Agent after having played a strong season for San Diego Padres.
At Atlanta Braves, Profar will be a teammate of fellow-Curaçao-born player Ozzie Albies, who is the regular second baseman of the team, and Aruban-born catcher Chadwick Tromp.
Albies plays for the club since 2017.
Tromp, who is a back-up catcher, plays for Atlanta since 2022.
Atlanta Braves has a long and successful connection with the Antillian islands, especially with Curaçao.
In the past, five other players from Curaçao played for Atlanta: outfielder Andruw Jones (1996-2007), first baseman Randall Simon (1997-1999), righthanded pitcher Jair Jurrjens (2008-2012), short stop Andrelton Simmons (2012-2015) and righthanded closer Kenley Jansen (2022).
Profar made his Major League-debut in 2012, playing in nine games for Texas Rangers.
After having played in 85 games in 2013, Profar missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons due to an injury.
He then was a regular for Texas from 2016 through 2018.
In December 2018, Profar was traded to Oakland Athletics for whom he played in 2019.
A year later, Oakland traded Profar to San Diego Padres, where he became an utility player.
Profar was a Free Agent after the 2020 season, but signed again with San Diego in January 2021.
Profar was a Free Agent again after the 2022 season.
It then took some time to sign with another club, but during Spring Training 2023, one-and-a-half-week before the start of the regular season, Profar signed with Colorado Rockies.
Profar played in 111 games for Colorado, hitting .236 (98-for-415) with 8 homeruns and had 45 RBI's, but on August 27, he was released.
Four days later, he signed a Minor League-contract with San Diego Padres.
After having played in four games for El Paso Chuhuahuas (5-for-11, 2 homeruns, six runs scored, eight RBI's) in Triple-A, Profar's contract was selected by San Diego on September 8.
The next day, Profar made his comeback in the Major League and was 3-for-4 with a double and homerun against Houston Astros.
Since then, Profar played in 14 games for San Diego and batted .295 (13-for-44, one homerun, seven RBI's).
After completion of the 2023 season, Profar also was a Free Agent.
In the winter-season 2023-2024, Profar played for Estrellas Orientales in the Dominican Republic.
In February 2024, Profar participated in the Serie del Caribe in Miami, Florida (USA), with Curaçao Suns, representing Curaçao.
Before this event, Profar agreed on an one-year contract with San Diego Padres.
However, due to visa-problems, Profar arrived later at the Padres Spring Training-site in Peoria (Arizona) and the deal was then confirmed on February 24.
2024 became Profar's best season in his career.
In his 11th Major League-season, the switch-hitter played in 158 games, batted .280 with 158 basehits, 24 homeruns, 94 runs scored and 85 runs batted in, all career-highs.
He stole ten bases, equalling his career-high set in 2018 and 2021.
For the first time in his career, Profar was selected for the All-Star Game.
Profar participated in three World Baseball Classics with the Netherlands Team, in 2013 (when he replayed injured Yurendell de Caster), in 2017 and in 2023.
In the first two tournaments, the Orange-squad reached the Semi-Final.
In 2023, the team unexpectedly was eliminated in the First Round.
After having played with uniform number 10 last year when he was with San Diego, Profar had to choose another number for coming season.
At Atlanta, number 10 is not available, as it is a retired number since 2013.
The number belonged to longtime third baseman Chipper Jones, who played his entire 19-year career for Atlanta and currently is a Hitting Consultant in the coaching-staff of Manager Brian Snitker.
For this season, Profar choose number 7.
Profar also wore number 10 when he earlier was with San Diego.
When he played for Texas, Profar wore numbers 2, 13 and 19.
At Oakland, he played with number 23 and at Colorado, he had 29 on his back.
For-the-record, numbers 13, 23 and 29 also would not be available.
The first two are respectively worn by outfielders Ronald Acuña, Jr. and Michael Harris II.
Number 29 also is retired (in 2012) and belongs to pitcher John Smoltz.
(January 23)
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