I almost didn’t write this post. Not because I was trapped under a Pizza Hut/Taco Bell Combo and unable to move my arms, but because Jurickson Profar will either be a huge boost for 2013 fantasy teams or he’ll be irrelevant and it’s not really on him which outcome comes to play. It depends on the Rangers. And it’s not like my Wil Myers fantasy which depends on the Royals and their cheapness. This depends more on, where is Profar going to play? Scenario Number One: Andrus is traded this offseason, Profar runs with the shortstop job. Scenario Number Two: Hamilton leaves, Kinsler is moved to the outfield and Profar gets a middle infield job. Scenario Number Three: There is no scenario number three. Scenario Number Four: Kinsler or Andrus are injured; Profar gets the job and yadda. Scenario Number Five: Abu Nazir buys the Rangers because they used to be the Washington Senators, and Nazir orders Andrus on a suicide mission, sending him into a bunker with Bud Selig. Only Andrus seems to be struggling with his decision and then Kinsler calls him and asks when he’s coming home, so Andrus disobeys Nazir, begins working for the CIA and is conveniently traded to the Nationals so he can be near the main branches of government, which allows Profar to get the starting job in Texas. Scenario Number Five seems less likely. So what can we expect of Jurickson Profar for 2013 fantasy baseball if he plays?
He’s a 20/20 threat at shortstop with a likely .280 average over the course of next season. He was born in 1993. You remember 1993, it was the year you got your driver’s license and told your mom you’re going to follow Sister Hazel on tour. Profar is the first player to reach the majors born in 1993. Though, I think Alfonso Soriano briefly claimed to be born in 1993. In case you’re new to this whole “fantasy thing,” Profar’s going to be a 1st or 2nd round talent very soon. If you’re new to reading, when I put quotes around fantasy thing, I was being snarky. If you’re new to the word snarky–well, moving on. Profar is going to be a star. His upside is 30/30. In August when he was called up as a bench bat, I compared him to a young Hanley. You’re looking at a Rookie of the Year candidate next year if he has an everyday job. Again, to reiterate on the aforementioned reiteration, Profar needs Andrus to disappear, which seems unlikely but possible. I’d put the odds of that happening at 20%. If Andrus isn’t traded in the offseason, there’s a good chance he is by midseason. If Profar gets the job in April, I’ll put his line at 70/14/40/.275/20. That’s a beautiful thing. Or if Ice T is reading, it’s bootyfull. In reality, his line will probably look closer to 30/5/20/.290/10 in 200 ABs.
