Two of the most heralded prospects in recent memory — Jurickson Profar of the Rangers and Dylan Bundy of the Orioles, both just 22 years of age — are set to participate in the Arizona Fall League after long injury layoffs, according to team announcements.
The news had long been expected for Profar, who was named to the roster already. But he’ll now be activated for the first time, meaning he is no longer on the 60-day DL and will take up a roster spot. Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun reported on Bundy yesterday, explaining that the Orioles want him to see some live action before the spring. Per the team announcement, he’ll take the AFL spot of righty Jon Keller.
Profar did manage a brief rehab stint in the minors already this year, marking his first game action since 2013. He’ll continue to serve as a DH in the AFL as he works to reacclimate his bat even as he continues to get his oft-injured right shoulder in shape for duty in the field. Profar debuted with Texas way back in 2012, when he was just 19 years of age. He owns only a .231/.301/.343 slash in 341 big league plate appearances, but he took all of those in or before his age-20 season.
It’s not yet clear whether and how Profar will factor into the Rangers’ plans for 2015, but he seems on track to do so. Texas still has Elvis Andrus embedded at shortstop and figures to continue utilizing the promising Rougned Odor at second. While an eventual replacement or contributor at short could make sense, it’s far from clear whether Profar will ever again be able to handle the demands of throwing from that position.
Bundy, meanwhile, also debuted in 2012 and has yet to return to the big leagues after suffering a variety of arm ailments. He has made it back for rehab stints in each of the last two seasons, but both times has been shut down after relatively limited action. He was not originally a part of Baltimore’s AFL plans, but will be moved into the competitive league after showing sufficient progress.
This is an important winter for Bundy and the O’s, as he’s out of options for 2016. That means that Baltimore will need to keep its former top prospect on the major league roster out of camp or risk losing him on waivers. While he’s most valued as a future starter, Bundy will obviously need to build back his innings and could feature as a reliever in the near-term.
Elvis Andries needs to be traded and let profar get a chance because ever since the contract of Elvis Andries took place he has sucked it up
Everyone in the Rangers organization agrees with you, but Andrus’ contract might have the most negative value in all of MLB.
Don’t forget what happened to Andrus’s former and now again current teammate, Josh Hamilton
I have doubts as to Profar’s shoulder holding up to the rigors of SS. My guess is he is 2B or LF moving forward.
As for Andrus contract, only one I can see on that level is Choo’s. Would have to pay someone to take it
Bundy is that guy but we may never see him again in Baltimore. His contract calls for him to be on the 25 man all of 2016. Likely will land in the bullpen but it would of been nice to see him start in 2015 in AAA. IMO for his sake he should rewrite terms of his deal at least for 2016.
They cannot “rewrite” the terms of his deal. It’s not his contract that calls for him to be on the 25 man roster, it’s that since he signed a major league deal after being drafted in 2012 (the last to do so with the rule changes to the draft), he is now out of minor league options. He’s in the same situation that dozens of players are every year, it’s just unfortunate for the O’s that he doesn’t have any track record because of the injuries. He will make the team out of the bullpen. The team loves to take flyers on Rule 5 guys (three have made the team in the last four years), but I think they will have to treat Bundy as if he were a Rule 5 guy. To send him to the minors he would have to clear waivers, and even with his injuries his potential is so great that there will definitely be another team to claim him.
Anybody who suggests Bundy will be a potential rotation piece in 2016 is insane. The guy hasn’t thrown a total of 70 innings over the last two seasons. Even if he came on like a hurricane and blew everyone away, he’d still be limited to something like 100 innings for 2016. By the time he reached the 4th of July the team would have to shut him down for the year. Pencil him into the pen as a 1-2 inning guy who can work on all his pitches and use the season to build him up to becoming a potential rotation piece for 2017. He’ll still be under 25 by the time the 2017 season rolls around.
Might make him more attractive as a Rule 5 pick. A team could hypothetically expect him to be hurt and have to go down for a “rehab assignment”. Would be cheap for 25k or 50k, whatever it is now
So how come Profar has to come off the 60 day DL? AFL can’t count as rehab? Doesn’t really matter, just curious.