With the World Baseball Classic approaching, and several Texas Rangers players declining invites, while several others have accepted theirs to play for their respective countries, one Ranger is still trying to decide if he'll play.
Jurickson Profar, the 19-year-old super prospect who homered in his first major-league at-bat and had a huge pinch-hit late in the Rangers' Wild Card Game loss to Baltimore, has said he's still unsure if he will play in the world tournament for Team Netherlands.
Profar, who was expected to start the season in Arlington, learned recently that he will start the year in Triple-A Round Rock after Ian Kinsler decided he didn't want to move to first base after all. Jon Daniels, the Rangers' GM, made the announcement recently. There's still a shot that Profar, if he plays well in spring training, could earn a utility role with the Rangers, but there's a logical argument for the fact that he'd be better served playing every day in Round Rock.
And it's because of his big-league future being a bit up in the air, at least for the short term, that Profar is wondering whether he should play in the tournament, which forces players to miss part of spring training.
"I'm still thinking about it ... maybe I've got a spot to make on the team," Profar told the Star-Telegram. "That's why I'm thinking about it to see where I'm at and what will happen."
