The Braves tried to sign right-hander Jeff Hoffman … but he failed his physical with them, had another one flagged by Baltimore and then signed with Toronto.
The Braves sought prized young starter Garrett Crochet in a trade … but the White Sox ended up dealing him to Boston.
The Braves did not land either, but the two situations symbolize their activity – despite seeming inactive on the surface – this winter. Braves president of baseball operations and general manager Alex Anthopoulos waited and waited during a slow winter for his team.
And on Thursday, Anthopoulos finally struck for the Braves’ first guaranteed major-league signing this winter.
The Braves signed free-agent outfielder Jurickson Profar to a three-year, $42 million deal. Profar will make $12 million in 2025, then $15 million in each of the next two seasons.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Braves designated right-hander Connor Gillespie for assignment.
Profar, a switch-hitting outfielder who played for San Diego in 2024, will help the Braves fill Ronald Acuña Jr.’s absence, then could be their starting left fielder once Acuña returns.
Profar, once a top prospect, has not lived up to those expectations. But he was an All-Star last year as he hit .280 with an .839 OPS and 24 home runs. He had career highs in batting average, OPS, OBP (.380) home runs and RBIs (85).
Profar, who turns 32 in February, primarily has played the corner outfield spots over the past few years. But earlier in his career, he saw considerable time at second base.
It seems likely that Profar and Jarred Kelenic will man the corners while Acuña finishes recovering from ACL reconstruction surgery. Bryan De La Cruz could platoon with Kelenic. When Acuña returns, Profar could slide over to the other side of the field as Atlanta’s primary left fielder.
The move gives the Braves more depth. Kelenic has tools and talent, but hasn’t yet proven himself to be an everyday player. Profar is a versatile veteran who seems to make things happen when he’s in the lineup.
The Braves now have one of baseball’s top outfields. It will have a former MVP (Acuña), an All-Star (Profar) and one of the best young players in the game (Harris). But had the Braves signed Profar at this time last year, the move wouldn’t have registered as it did Thursday.
Last February, Profar signed a one-year, $1 million deal – yes, $1 million (though it included incentives) – with San Diego. He turned it into this contract with a career year in which he dramatically improved at the plate.
He hit the ball much harder. He struck out less and walked more than he did in 2023. He also barreled up more balls.
Is it sustainable or was it an outlier?
Well, that’s the main question, and it’s why baseball is so intriguing. The Braves cannot be sure of anything, but Anthopoulos is careful about the risks he takes, so you can bet the organization feels Profar found something meaningful last year.
With the Profar signing, Atlanta’s cash payroll is around $212 million, according to RosterResource. Its luxury-tax figure is around $230 million, which means the Braves still have room to spend before hitting the $241 million luxury-tax threshold.
At the beginning of the offseason, Anthopoulos said the Braves’ payroll would increase. Anthopoulos views that as opening day to opening day. The Braves were around $223 million for the cash payroll to begin last season, which suggests they still have money to spend.
There are larger tax penalties for crossing the luxury-tax threshold for a third consecutive season, as the Braves would do if they passed it this year. But in December, Anthopoulos said that wouldn’t be an issue. He said he bakes the luxury tax into his budget for a given winter.
The Braves still need pitching. They could use a starter, though Ian Anderson and Grant Holmes would be internal options. A reliever might be a larger priority because the club will be without Joe Jiménez for a large chunk of the season (knee surgery) and lost A.J. Minter to the Mets in free agency.
Profar will face his old teammates rather soon. On March 27, the Braves open the season at Petco Park in San Diego against the Padres, whom Profar helped to the postseason last year.
This time, Profar will go into the visiting clubhouse.
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