Profar AFL-bound after Texas activates infielder
Rangers focused on getting former No. 1 prospect healthy for Spring Training
ARLINGTON -- Rangers infielder Jurickson Profar, who has missed two seasons because of a torn muscle in his right shoulder, has been activated off the 60-day disabled list and will play in the Arizona Fall League.
Profar is expected to be limited to designated-hitter duties for the Surprise Saguaros. He underwent surgery on Feb. 23 to repair a torn labrum in the shoulder.
Profar was once the Rangers' top Minor League prospect as ranked by MLB.com before coming down with shoulder problems in the winter of 2013-14. He played in 94 games for the Rangers in 2012-13, hitting .231 with seven home runs, 28 RBIs, a .301 on-base percentage and a .343 slugging percentage.
He is a switch-hitter who can play multiple positions, but his future is unclear after the two years with the shoulder issues.
"No. 1, we've got to get him healthy, get him playing, and then it's a question of how does he look in Spring Training and what's best for him and what's best for us," general manager Jon Daniels said. "Does he compete for a multiposition spot on the club? It's a pretty unique skill set for a manager to have -- a switch- hitter who can play in and out on both sides of the diamond.
"At the same point, he hasn't played much the last few years, so the benefit he'd get from going down and playing on a regular basis. We've got to get him healthy first -- get the clean bill of health, Fall League and throwing program -- but that will be a conversation that we will have as we get through all of that. We would shut it down after the Fall League."
Profar, who turns 23 on Feb. 20, played in 12 games as a designated hitter for Class A Hickory and Double A Frisco this season, hitting .256 (11-for-43) with one home run and six RBIs. He did not play defense.
The Rangers considered activating him in September as a pinch-hitter off the bench, but ultimately decided against it.
The Rangers now have 39 players on the 40-man roster. Pitchers Yu Darvish, Nick Tepesch and Alex Claudio are still on the 60-day disabled list and will have to be added at some point once the Rangers make room. There is also a possibility that Tepesch and/or Claudio could be outrighted to Triple-A and not be put back on the 40-man roster.
Tepesch is still recovering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery to have a bone removed from his upper right rib cage. Claudio was shut down at the end of the season with arm fatigue.