Profar Ready For Everyday Role

Jurickson Profar turns 21 next month, right around the time he reports to Surprise, Ariz., for spring training with the Texas Rangers, and he'll be reporting as an everyday regular on the Rangers' big-league roster for the first time.

Profar was in the bigs last year as a 20-year-old utility player who didn't get enough regular work for someone his age, but the Rangers didn't really have any other option in that capacity, so instead of putting him in Round Rock and getting him 500 at-bats, he sat in the dugout a lot in Arlington.

Hindsight's 20/20, though, and now is Profar's time after the Rangers dealt starting second baseman Ian Kinsler to Detroit for slugging first baseman Prince Fielder in a surprise blockbuster deal back in November.

Profar struggled in his limited playing time in 2013, hitting .234 with a .308 on-base percentage, 11 doubles, six homers and 26 RBIs in 286 at-bats, but he said he doesn't feel any pressure to improve in his first year as a regular. And he shouldn't, because the Rangers took a giant leap of faith in him by trading a proven star in Kinsler.

"I just have to play, concentrate on being me and help the team win," Profar told MLB.com. "There is no pressure, I just have to focus on being me."

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