MLB

Yankees pry into former No. 1 prospect amid Rangers renewal

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Teams have inquired with Texas about Jurickson Profar — the Yankees included — but the Rangers likely will try to get baseball’s one-time top prospect back to full value by deploying him in the field before trying to trade him.

Profar was the consensus No. 1 prospect in the majors going into the 2013 season, but shoulder injuries have kept him from playing in the majors the past two years. He is serving as a DH only in the Arizona Fall League, and scouts who have seen him say he looks fine and has, among other things, slid headfirst into second base.

He is in a throwing program stretched to about 100 feet, and the Rangers toyed with the idea of letting him play the field in Winter Ball. But now they have earmarked him for spring training and say they expect a player at full health.

The Yankees would have interest in Profar as a second baseman. The Mets and many others need a shortstop, and the market is slim in that area. The Padres also need a shortstop and their GM, A.J. Preller, was instrumental in signing Profar to the Rangers as an amateur.

Still, one scout cautioned: “I like Profar, but if you are Texas, you have to ask full value for him, and how could you give up full value for a player who we don’t know yet if he can throw?”

Profar does not turn 23 until February and still has minor league options remaining, so the Rangers are not under pressure to move him.

“We are not looking to trade him,” Texas GM Jon Daniels said. “We held onto him this long. We are pretty optimistic his shoulder is fit. The mindset is to wait and see where he is. We believe he will get back to his value, which was one of the best young players out there.”


Joe NathanPaul J. Bereswill

Joe Nathan fell behind Francisco Rodriguez on the all-time and active saves leader list. He still is planning to do something about that.

Nathan underwent Tommy John surgery last April 29 and, because he turns 41 later this month, there was anticipation his career could be over.

However, his agent, Dave Pepe, told me via text that Nathan “definitely plans on playing [in 2016] and eyes a July return to game action. We are hoping that date can be earlier depending on how his rehab goes.”

Pepe said he has had preliminary discussions with a few teams about Nathan, who is a free agent after his two-year, $20 million deal with the Tigers expired. Nathan probably will have to get well enough to audition either individually for teams or in a showcase setting as a way to display he is healthy and still has the arm strength to get major league hitters out.

Nathan has 377 career saves, eighth all-time. K-Rod is seventh at 386.