ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers second baseman Jurickson Profar is throwing with no problems and expects to be fully healthy for spring training after missing the past two seasons because of right shoulder issues.
"Yeah, 100 per cent," Profar said Wednesday, during a break at the team’s winter camp. "I’m ready to play baseball. … Now that I’m healthy, everything is good."
Profar first got hurt at the end of spring training in 2014, and missed all of that season.
After several setbacks in his rehab, he had surgery on a torn labrum last February and missed another whole season in the majors. He was the designated hitter during a 12-game injury rehabilitation assignment at Class A Hickory and Double-A Frisco last August and September, then hit .267 with two home runs and 20 RBIs in 20 games in the Arizona Fall League.
Profar was 19 when he made his major league debut in September 2012, and hit a home run in his first at-bat for Texas.
When asked about the past two seasons away from the Rangers, Profar said he kept his focus on whatever it took to get back.
"Just working years to get ready for now," said Profar, who turns 23 next month. "At some point, I’m going to be ready, that was the mindset. Just work hard every day and make sure I’m ready for now.
Profar said he is throwing regularly from 130-135 feet, but that he’s not even concerned about that. During his first rehab, he kept having problems when getting to the 110-foot range.
"I did the surgery and so I expected it to be good," Profar said, refusing to second-guess whether he should have done surgery the first time he got hurt.
Profar said he has done some defensive throwing in drills, and expects to be throwing to bases by next week.
"I just want to play," he said. "And you guys can ask me, how was the game?"
