Baseball: Juremi, the brother of Jurickson Profar who came to the Capitals to win, and nothing else

The cornerstone of the Capitales de Québec offensive this summer is likely to be called Juremi Profar, and if the name of the powerful puncher rings a bell for you, it’s that he is the brother of Jurickson, who rolls his bump in MLB for ten years.

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It is even he who broaches the subject during the interview: “My big brother plays for the Colorado Rockies! And I have a little brother [Jurdrick] who also plays baseball,” says the likeable 6’1” guy, who will see his millionaire brother – he earns $7.5 million this season – in action in the biggest stadiums “when the opportunity arises”.

Au pays d’Andruw Jones

In their native Curaçao, where young people are starting to hit the ball in the hope of becoming the next Andruw Jones, “the great idol of the country, where everyone is fans of the Atlanta Braves”, points out Juremi, the name “Profar” is known.

The three brothers have participated in the famous Little League World Series, the World Series of baseball players aged 10 to 12 years.

Jurickson also contributed to the historic victory of the small Caribbean island, endowed with a population of approximately 150,000 people, in 2004. And this, eight years before hitting a homer in his first appearance at bat in the majors, in the uniform of the Texas Rangers.

From Rangers to Capitals

Juremi was also in the Rangers organization that year. He had initialed an agreement as an international free agent.

But unlike his elder, he never climbed the last rung, the one that leads to the major leagues. Instead, he played in all levels of affiliate baseball before joining Mexican club Leon last year, playing a few games there in which he posted a .261 batting average.

Curaçao, Mexico, but also several cities in the southern United States: Profar was therefore cold when the Capitals camp began at Stade Canac on Tuesday, in a wind that made you forget that spring is supposed to have arrived for more one month.

He came to win, too

Of independent baseball, Juremi knows little, except that the Frontier League “is very strong”, and that it bets on “several formidable players”.

He also knows that the Capitals form “a good organization”, because over the years and teams, Profar has rubbed shoulders with several former club members, who “told him only good things”.

And yes, he came to Quebec “to help win another championship,” he says with a big smile. Mainly for that, by the way. Because if many players see their passage in independent baseball as a springboard to a return to affiliated baseball, the versatile infielder affirms it: at 27, he is “just happy to be here”.

Even if his eldest, he plays in front of tens of thousands of people every night, with a career that has taken him not only to Texas and Colorado, but also to San Diego and Oakland.

“I just want to give my 100%”, he reiterates in English, one of the four languages ​​he masters … while waiting to speak French, which should come, to see his manager Patrick Scalabrini slip him a few words in the language of Molière.

A major advantage

Which is good, since Scalabrini relies heavily on his batting to support the Capitals pitching rotation he set up during the winter.

At the launch of the defending champions’ season last week, the manager praised his new offensive acquisition, which can play at first, second or third base. He had called Profar “a big hitter, who has rolled his bump a lot and has an impressive baseball resume”.

Scalabrini was also quite eager to see him in action at camp and Juremi did not disappoint his new coach. “I’m really happy,” pointed out the manager to the Journalat the end of the first training.

“He looks like a ball player, he knows what to do with a stick in his hands, he’s super nice. And him, we need him, because he is going to be an important piece in our line-up, ”he adds.

He is ‘happy and ready’

Briefed on Scalabrini’s words – and his expectations, too – Profar couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t know Scalabrini before arriving at the camp, but the veteran was delighted that the first real contact between the two men had been ‘very good’.

“I’m glad to hear that and I’m ready,” he said, bursting out laughing again as he did several times during the interview.

“We have a good group here. The camp has barely started and already the chemistry is very good,” smiled Juremi, who clearly isn’t bluffing when he says he’s “just happy to be here”.