What Were You Doing When You Were 19?
What were you doing when you were 19? Jurickson Profar was hitting bombs for the Texas Rangers.
When I was 19 I was trying to figure out what my major was going to be and making my way through college. A pair of nineteen year olds have decided their futures and are already more successful at their craft than I am. Each made their major league debuts this season and one has been historic.
Jurickson Profar made his debut at the exact same age, 19 years 195 days, as Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper. Harper hit a double in his first game while Profar did even better by hitting a home run in his first at bat. Hitting a home run was not enough for the young rookie as he stepped up in his next at bat and promptly hit a line drive double down the left field line.
Finishing the day 2-4 and becoming the first teenager with 2 extra-base hits in his first career game since Johnny Callison in 1958. With his home run he also became only the third teenager to hit a home run in his first at bat. He is also now the youngest player in Texas Rangers history to hit a home run besting previous record holder Ivan Rodriguez by three months. Not a bad day for a player who isn’t even old enough to buy his own drink.
He led off the third inning with a home run to right and became the youngest player to hit a homer since his teammate Adrian Beltre did it for the Dodgers in 1998.
With Harper and fellow rookie Mike Trout being called up earlier this season in April, Profar became arguably the most highly touted prospect in the minors.(I might have a slight biased opinion on this) The three players are not comparable at this time though. Trout and Harper were immediately added to the everyday lineup, while Profar is being used part-time. His role will likely be as a fill-in player when either Elvis or Kinsler needs a day off or as a pinch runner as he has good speed on the bags.
This isn’t the first time that Jurickson Profar has homered in a major league park during a game though. He led off the futures game in Kansas City with a home run as a member of the international team as part of the All-Star week in July.
Profar was added to the 40-man roster on August 31st and is getting his first major league action as a September call-up. He was a late addition to the lineup on Sunday being inserted for Ian Kinsler at second base, who was scratched due to a stiff back.
Rangers fans also may have seen what the future of their infield could look like for a long time coming. With the addition of Profar at second the Rangers have possibly the most athletic middle infield in baseball. He has shown some brilliance with the glove including finishing a double play to the end the first.
-Brian Boynton
Three Up, Three Down 