Profar seems a perfect fit in Braves' leadoff spot until Acu?a returns

NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Jurickson Profar seems primed to prevent the Braves from doing what they did most of last season, when they struggled to find a suitable replacement for Ronald Acu?a Jr. in the leadoff spot.

¡°We kind of had a makeshift-type thing with [the leadoff spot],¡± manager Brian Snitker said. ¡°It¡¯s hard when you lose probably the best [leadoff hitter] in the game. But [Profar¡¯s] versatility, especially being a switch-hitter, I love that. He¡¯s had success [leading off], too. So, he knows what it¡¯s all about.¡±

Profar looked comfortable as he sat atop Atlanta¡¯s lineup while making his Grapefruit League season debut in the Braves' 9-4 win over the Pirates on Wednesday afternoon at CoolToday Park. The left fielder doubled against the first pitch he saw from Bucs right-hander Mike Burrows and jogged home a few moments later on a Matt Olson home run.

¡°There¡¯s a lot of things that make [Profar] a dangerous hitter, his ability to hit from both sides and his intelligence at the plate¡± Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo L¨®pez said. ¡°Whenever I had to face him, I felt like I always went in with a little more caution and a little more prepared. Thankfully, I don¡¯t have to worry about that this year.¡±

This was a great introduction for the Braves, who signed Profar to a three-year, $42 million free-agent deal in January. It was also a glimpse of what Atlanta¡¯s new left fielder can do as he fills the lineup catalyst role while Acu?a misses the early portion of the season while recovering from left knee surgery.

¡°He¡¯s a stud and a great player,¡± starting pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver said of Profar. ¡°I remember him growing up with the Rangers. I was a big fan.¡±

Profar hit .280 with 24 homers and a .839 OPS with the Padres in 2024. The 31-year-old veteran seems to be realizing some of the great potential that has surrounded him going back to Sept. 2, 2012, when he homered in his MLB debut. One of the fans in attendance that day was Smith-Shawver, who was two months shy of his 10th birthday.

Profar batted .380 and had a .451 on-base percentage in 83 plate appearances as a leadoff hitter in 2024. These numbers are the product of a small sample size from a career-best season. But it should be noted that he constructed a .333 OBP over the 405 plate appearances he compiled as the Padres' leadoff hitter in 2022.

Braves leadoff hitters produced just a .306 OBP from May 27 (the day after Acu?a tore his left anterior cruciate ligament) through the end of last season. Acu?a had a .351 OBP last year and Jorge Soler had a .400 OBP in 55 plate appearances from the leadoff spot. But a majority of the leadoff duties were handled by Michael Harris II (.321 OBP in 215 PA) and Jarred Kelenic (.291 OBP in 180 PA).

So, the Braves would realize an improvement even if Profar¡¯s leadoff production is more like 2022 than ¡®24.

¡°Having him in the lineup is just another weapon,¡± Smith-Shawver said. ¡°I mean, we're so talented. Our lineup, it's just fun to watch.¡±

Atlanta¡¯s lineup for Wednesday¡¯s game looked much like the one Snitker might utilize for the March 27 Opening Day game in San Diego. Snitker filled the Nos. 2-6 spots with Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna, Harris II and Ozzie Albies.

Ozuna¡¯s team-leading .916 OPS since the start of 2023 ranks ninth among all qualified MLB players. Should he bat third? Olson didn¡¯t get going until the final two months of last season. But he¡¯s just one season removed from hitting 54 homers, producing a .993 OPS and finishing fourth in NL MVP balloting.

As for Riley, his bid for a fourth straight 30-homer season was denied as he missed two months last year with multiple injuries. Putting him in the second spot makes sense because he¡¯s a much better runner than Olson and Ozuna. But at the same time, this order creates the right/left/right mix Snitker wants throughout his lineup.

¡°Those guys, if they¡¯re all hitting, it doesn¡¯t matter where they¡¯re at,¡± Snitker said. ¡°But having that switch-hitter [in the leadoff spot] gives you that option of mixing it up and not being as right-handed dominant as we¡¯ve been in the past.¡±