The Texas Rangers have called up Jurickson Profar, making the 19-year-old heralded infielder prospect the youngest player in the Major Leagues.
Space on the big league club became available on Saturday, the first day rosters can expand to 40 players.
Profar, who will become the first player born in 1993 to reach the majors, will join the team in Cleveland today. The talented switch-hitter had spent the entire season playing for Double-A Frisco, hitting .281 with 14 homers and 62 RBIs to help the RoughRiders reach the Texas League Playoffs. He scored 76 runs in 126 games mostly at shortstop, although he did appear in 25 games as second base, five as the designated hitter and one at third base.
Profar’s 47 extra-base hits are the most by any Double-A infielder this year and he has hit a robust .296 (134 for 456) since opening the season 2 for 26. He boasted a 50-game on-base streak earlier this season that ranks as the longest by any minor league player this year.
Rangers manager Ron Washington said he plans to use Profar as a pinch-hitter and pinch-runner with some occasional playing time at the middle-infield spots.
The club also added left-hand pitcher Martin Perez, right-hander Yoshi Tateyama, outfielder Leonys Martin and utility player Brandon Snyder from Triple-A Round Rock. All four have previously appeared with the Rangers this season.
The club also put left-hander Robbie Ross on the disabled list because of a strained forearm, allowing them to bring back right-hander Tanner Scheppers from Round Rock.
To clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Profar, the Rangers designated minor league left-hander Miguel de los Santos for assignment.
As a youth, Profar participated in both the 2004 and 2005 Little League World Series, helping his team from Willemstad, Curacao claim the 2004 championship and reach the 2005 title game.
Texas signed Profar as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2009.
