Another potential New York Yankees target was taken off the board on Jan. 6, with Gavin Lux being traded to the Cincinnati Reds. The Yankees need an infielder, and the longer they wait to land one via free agency or a trade, the better chance there won’t be another new face in the Bronx this spring.
The options are dwindling for the Yankees. They could get creative by signing a player who could play multiple positions, like Jurickson Profar, or sign a proven second or third baseman.
Sticking with Profar, he was used as an infielder in the earlier stages of his career before heading to the outfield nearly full-time. The Yankees could view him as killing two birds with one stone. He plays left field, a potential position of need, and can play second when needed.
His contract shouldn’t be too much either, perhaps the reason they need to be all in on the switch-hitter who posted a career-high 137 OPS+ a year ago.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report predicted Profar would land a two-year, $34 million deal in free agency, an amount the Yankees could pay.
“Just one year after the Colorado Rockies released him during the season, Profar turned in the finest campaign of his career. He homered 24 times, drove in 85 runs, walked 76 times and posted an .839 OPS. Not only was he an All-Star for the first time in his career, but also won a Silver Slugger.
“Still, it’s understandable that just a year after a disastrous campaign spent mostly with the Rockies that teams are a bit skeptical of Profar. Is he better than he showed in 2023? Absolutely. Will he ever match what he did in 2024? Probably not,” Kelly wrote on January 6.
What Is Profar Looking for?
Profar put himself in an excellent position to get a raise, having the best season of his career in his free agency year.
The New York Yankees will have to pay him the market price, but even then, he could be one of the sneaky pickups of the offseason.
If Profar slashes .280/.380/.459 with 24 home runs and gives the Yankees defensive flexibility, he’s worth more than the predicted $34 million over two years.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, he’s looking for a three-year deal. If he gets $17 million AAV like Kelly predicted, that could put his contract over $50 million. AAV, however, is more important in this scenario.
“Also looking for a deal in the three-year-plus range: Jurickson Profar, who is coming off a .280/.380/.459 season that included a career-best 24 home runs,” Passan wrote on December 19.
Yankees Linked to Profar
The New York Yankees signing Profar would make plenty of sense. One could even argue he’d give them the most out of any player available.
A switch-hitter with defensive flexibility would fit in well at Yankee Stadium, and for that price, New York shouldn’t expect to get much better.
According to Baseball Savant, he would’ve hit 19 home runs at Yankee Stadium in 2024, so his power numbers might dip, but that’s to be expected. 24 home runs was the most of his career in a season.
Still, he can swing it and would be a welcoming addition to the Yankees lineup.
Theo DeRosa of MLB.com loves the fit and named Profar a “realistic fit” for the Yankees, highlighting how he could help the ball club.
“The Yankees have already made a number of big moves (such as signing Max Fried, trading for Devin Williams and Cody Bellinger and agreeing to a deal with Paul Goldschmidt), but they could land another big bat for their lineup. The switch-hitting Profar could slot into left field but could also play a role in the infield, where he began his career.
“Once an elite prospect, Profar delivered a breakout year for the Padres, hitting .280 with 24 homers and an .839 OPS and making the NL All-Star team. He could be just the right fit for a Yankees team that wouldn’t mind adding a skilled and versatile hitter and has long been a fan of Profar’s game,” DeRosa wrote on December 28.
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