Former MLB No. 1 Overall Prospect Reportedly Facing Season-Long Suspension for PEDs

This team may need to look at their minor league talent for a replacement

Feb 18, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; General view of a basket of baseballs during a San Francisco Giants Spring Training workout at Scottsdale Stadium Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

One of the top prospects in all of baseball early in the 2010s is reportedly facing a 162-game suspension following a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug.

Atlanta Braves outfielder and designated hitter Jurickson Profar, MLB Pipeline's No. 1 overall prospect in 2013, could be suspended for the entire 2026 MLB season, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. This would be Profar's second-straight season with a PED-related suspension after serving an 80-game ban last year.

Profar signed a three-year, $42 million deal with Atlanta last offseason. That contract is quickly looking like one the Braves may end up regretting, even though the 33-year-old will forfeit his entire $15 million salary for this season if he's suspended, according to Passan. But the potential absence of the 2024 All-Star would leave a noteworthy hole in Atlanta's lineup, and the team may have to get creative to try to find a replacement.

Braves seemingly lack MLB-ready hitting prospects to replace Jurickson Profar

Sep 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves left fielder Jurickson Profar (7) celebrates with teammates after scoring a run against the Seattle Mariners in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

If Profar's reported 162-game suspension is upheld, new Braves manager Walt Weiss will have some interesting decisions to make when it comes to filling out the lineup card. One of the most straightforward approaches would be to rotate current players on the roster through the DH position to keep them healthy. Another option would be for Atlanta to take the $15 million it reportedly might not need to pay Profar and spend it on a veteran bat who's still a free agent, like Andrew McCutchen.

But one option that doesn't seem readily available to the Braves at this time is calling up a top prospect to replace Profar. Six of Atlanta's top-10 prospects for 2026 are pitchers, and none of the four position players are projected to arrive in the big leagues before 2028. If you expand that range to MLB Pipeline's top-20 prospects for the Braves, there are three more outfielders, but they're all 19 and aren't projected to make an impact on the MLB team until at least 2029.

With that in mind, if the Braves want to use an internal option to replace Profar, they might have to try to find a hidden gem outside of their top-rated prospects. But while Atlanta seemingly lacks MLB-ready position players among its top prospects, the team appears to have some well-regarded arms in the minors who could play a role this year and help deal with the injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep.