Profar opens Minor League assignment with Gwinnett ahead of return from suspension

ATLANTA -- The Braves hope Jurickson Profar can erase their need for a two-hole hitter and prove to be the productive left fielder he was envisioned to be before testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing drug.

Profar began a two-week Minor League assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday night. He tallied a pair of singles in three at-bats and drew a walk. Barring any further postponements, he’ll be eligible to be activated from his 80-game suspension on July 2, when the Braves host the Angels at Truist Park.

Braves manager Brian Snitker said the plan is for Profar to play nine innings of every game he plays for Gwinnett. The team wants him to get as many at-bats as possible to make up for lost time. Profar could occasionally be used as a designated hitter if there’s a need to rest his legs.

Profar signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Braves in January. He played just four games before it was announced he had tested positive for Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), a performance-enhancing substance that is in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Jarred Kelenic, who was optioned to Gwinnett in April, Eli White and Alex Verdugo have been unsuccessful in their attempt to fill Profar’s void in left field. Atlanta’s left fielders entered Tuesday ranked 29th among 30 teams with a .554 OPS.

Profar will play left field on an everyday basis when he returns, and he will likely bat second directly behind Ronald Acuña Jr. Profar won’t be eligible for the postseason if the Braves were to turn things around and qualify. But there’s at least a chance he could help the team defy the odds with a playoff berth.

Profar hit a career-high 24 homers and constructed an .839 OPS for the Padres last year. The former top prospect produced a .702 OPS over 470 games (1,793 plate appearances) from 2020-23.