MLB News: Jurickson Profar, Braves Reportedly Agree to 3-Year, $42M Contract

After being one of the best free-agent bargains last offseason, Jurickson Profar is reportedly joining a new team.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Profar is finalizing a contract with the Atlanta Braves. Per Passan, the two sides agreed to a three-year, $42 million deal.

Profar signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres for $1 million last offseason. He finished the 2023 season with the club after being released by the Colorado Rockies.

The Padres named Profar their starting left fielder going into 2024. He rewarded their faith in him with the best season of his career. The 31-year-old hit .280/.380/.459 with 24 homers and 85 RBI in 158 games and earned his first All-Star selection.

This is what was expected of Profar when he was coming up through the minors with the Texas Rangers. He was the No. 1 overall prospect in MLB going into the 2013 season.

A shoulder injury that kept him out for all 2014 derailed the early part of Profar's career. He didn't become a full-time player for the Rangers until 2018, and the Rangers traded him to the Oakland Athletics prior to the 2019 season.

Profar's first stint with the Padres from 2020 to '22 was the first time he showed any hint of being the player who was a revered prospect. His 114 OPS+ in the 2020 season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic was his career high at that point.

Given how much of an outlier last season was with the rest of his career, Profar could be a prime regression candidate in 2025. However, there are reasons to believe he can carry his 2024 performance over to next season and beyond.

Per Baseball Savant, Profar ranked in the 88th percentile or better in strikeout rate, walk rate, chase rate and whiff rate. His hard-hit rate of 44.4 percent was the best of his career.

If all of those elements remain intact going forward, Profar will be at least close to the player he was last season for the Padres. It's a risk for the Braves to bet on, but one worth taking in a free-agent class that didn't have many impact position players available.