The Braves made their first notable addition on January 23, bringing in 2024 NL All-Star Jurickson Profar on a three-year deal. Profar cashes in after a career season last year with the Padres. The Braves, meanwhile, fill out their outfield after significant changes in the offseason, cutting loose Jorge Soler and Ramon Laureano.
A Look at Profar
Last year was a career season for Jurickson Profar, who returned to the Padres in 2024 and slotted in nicely in their lineup. Profar belted a career-high 24 home runs and drove in 85, also a career-best. The 31-year-old slashed .280/.380/.459 (.839 OPS).
The new Brave is a smart hitter at the plate with plus pitch recognition. It’s a tool that’s not only helped him accrue high BB% rates — he posted 11+% BB% rates in three of the last four seasons — but also stay on pitches. He’ll stay back on offspeed, speed up against fastballs, and has bat speed to damage against the heat.
That eye allows Profar to get out and get pitchers outside of the strike zone, even though he’s not a high chaser. It won’t be pretty at times but he can go inside-out on pitches, and also golf ones out.
But last season, we saw something different from Profar: an enhanced ability to drive the ball with authority. His hard-hit rate jumped over 12% compared year-to-year, and his Barrel% went up 3.2%.
However, his best asset has always been the ability to get on base. Profar works counts and walks a lot. Which, makes him an ideal bat who can slot in either the #1 or the #2 slot. He’ll likely get that chance in 2025 with Atlanta (and I’ll get into why in a minute).
Profar can also hit both lefties and righties. The veteran outfielder hit .300/.385/.500 with eight home runs against left-handed pitchers in 2024. Against right-handed pitchers, he batted .273/.378/.444 with 16 home runs.
Defensively, Profar ranked high (87th percentile) in terms of arm strength. However, he has fringe-average speed and inefficient range (-9 Outs Above Average) in the outfield.
This was the third time Profar hit free agency in as many years. However, this will be the earliest he signed among those three times. The 31-year-old sat on the market until March in 2023, then re-signed with the Padres in late February of 2024.
Per MLB.com, the Braves will sign Jurickson Profar for a three-year deal worth $42MM.
Analysis
It’s the first big move made by the Braves this offseason, one where Atlanta’s seen significant pieces from past years depart. Max Fried went to free agency, and unsurprisingly, didn’t re-sign with Atlanta. A.J. Minter (Mets), Charlie Morton (Orioles), and Travis d’Arnaud (Angels) also found new homes.
Now, the Braves did make a smaller move earlier in the offseason, signing Bryan De La Cruz after a rough summer with the Pirates.
However, Profar is a more impactful bat. He can both lefties and righties, meaning the Braves can avoid a platoon situation and relying heavily on someone like De La Cruz or Jarred Kelenic. The veteran outfielder likely slots in as the Braves’ everyday left fielder.
Profar may very well be the Braves’ leadoff hitter to begin 2025. Outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. is recovering from another knee surgery and is set to miss the beginning of the regular season. Given Profar’s ability to get on base, he profiles as an ideal player to slot in as the leadoff man to begin 2025.
As for the Padres, Profar’s loss is a big one. Right now, San Diego doesn’t have an ideal replacement for Profar in left to play alongside Jackson Merrill (CF) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (RF). The other outfielders on the Padres’ 40-man roster are Tirso Ornelas and Brandon Lockridge. Lockridge has MLB experience.
Ornelas, though, hit very well in El Paso (AAA) last season, hitting .297/.367/.497 (.864 OPS) with 23 home runs and only 88 strikeouts over 128 games. He has more upside than Lockridge.