Profar got off to a slow start, batting just .193 at the season's halfway point while rookie Jake Cronenworth took most of the reps on the infield. But, when Tommy Pham broke a bone in his hand Jurickson moved to left field, a position he'd never played full-time. He took to it remarkably fast.
The 27-year-old found his swing, hitting .381 with an .880 OPS in September to help the Padres to their first playoff spot since 2006. He also played five different positions defensively, showing a selflessness and willing to help the team that makes him an extremely valuable commodity.
Profar is also one of the most popular players in the clubhouse and a longtime friend of shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (both are from the Dominican Republic). His return gives the Padres one of the deepest rosters in baseball, which begs the question: with all eight offensive starters back, plus the addition of Ha-Seong Kim, where will the Padres find at-bats for Profar?