Jurickson Profar suspended full season for second failed drug test

Jurickson Profar (Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons)

Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar of Willemstad, Curacao has been suspended 162 games for a second failed drug test according to the Associated Press on Tuesday. Profar was just suspended for 80 games last season, and all of a sudden has been suspended again.

Profar tested positive last year for Chorionic Gonadotrophin. It was a hormone that assisted in testosterone production. At the time, Profar stated “he would never willingly take a banned substance.” Now it seems to have happened again.

A year ago, Profar signed a three-year deal worth $42 million with the Braves. It is fair to say the signing has been an absolute bust to date. The Braves have simply not got what they were hoping for when they came to terms with Profar.

At the time that Profar signed the contract with Atlanta, he was a National League All-Star the previous season with the San Diego Padres. Now, the failed drug tests will forever define Profar’s Major League Baseball career.

In 2025, Profar batted .245 with 14 hone runs and 43 runs batted in. During 80 games, 371 plate appearances and 318 at bats, he scored 56 runs, and had 78 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, nine stolen bases, 48 walks, 138 total bases, an on base percentage of .353 and a slugging percentage of .434. The triple came in a 4-2 Braves win over the Cincinnati Reds on August 2.

Now with the loss of Profar, it will be interesting to see what the Braves decide to do from a personnel perspective. A year ago, they signed Alex Verdugo to a deal when Profar had drug problems. Verdugo played 56 games last season in Atlanta before being released on July 5. This past week Verdugo signed a minor league contract with the Padres.