Jurickson Profar’s shoulder injury is worrisome

Jurickson Profar is still dealing with lingering shoulder pain. The Rangers are hoping he will be ready for Spring Training.

Profar was supposed to join the Surprise Saguaros, an Arizona Fall League team. Instead of playing in the six-week season during parts of October and November, he will rest his throwing shoulder.

In what should have been his first full season in the Majors, Profar never even made it to Opening Day. His shoulder injury in Spring Training caused him to miss the entire 2014 season, which left the Rangers without their prized infielder.

Mar 6, 2014; Peoria, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers second baseman Jurickson Profar (13) hits a grand slam home run against the San Diego Padres in the sixth inning at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Adding to the pain, Profar has aggravated the shoulder again, now expecting to be shut down for 2-3 months. It appears that surgery is not an option at this point, as Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com reported.

While it seems like he’s older, Profar is still just 21 years old. In 2012, he played in 9 games with the Rangers. And then in 2013, Profar saw action in 85 games. He’s played second base, shortstop, third base and even left field. He was expected to take over at second base for the Rangers, when Texas traded Ian Kinsler to the Tigers.

The injury is becoming an alarming story. The Rangers could have traded Profar in the past to fill other needs, but they decided he was too valuable and kept him. Profar was supposed to be an All-Star that would help Texas win for at least the next decade. But now it’s worth asking whether or not Profar will ever be healthy enough to fulfill his potential.

If this injury persists into 2015 and Profar misses most of or the entire season, we might not ever see Profar blossom into an elite middle infielder. For many, Profar was once considered the best prospect in baseball. Now he’s quickly turning into a once-was-prospect.