Milwaukee Brewers Reportedly Close to Mega Extension with Top Prospect
On Tuesday, it was reported that the Milwaukee Brewers and top prospect Jackson Chourio were discussing a contract extension.
This was notable because Chourio has never played a game at the Major League level. Early reports indicated that the extension being discussed would be the richest for a player without appearing in a game.
Now, it appears that the two sides are close to a deal.
While no financials have been leaked yet, Curtis Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has a ballpark figure of what's possible:
Because of the give and take between the sides, a deal in the ballpark of eight years is likely, possibly around $80 million with the potential for options and incentives that could elevate the dollar amount.
Chourio is the top prospect in the organization and the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball, behind Jackson Holliday of the Orioles.
Signing early extensions like this carries significant risk for both sides. First, the team could be guaranteeing nearly $100 million to a player that gets injured or massively under performs in the future. Furthermore, the player could be taking a deal that they massively out-perform and could end up underpaid. That's why it's important to see what those incentives are eventually, because it will help determine just how much Chourio could make in the future.
He hit .282 this season between Double-A and Triple-A. He also hit 22 home runs, drove in 91 and stole 44 bases. Despite his talent, the Brewers have already said that he won't make the team's Opening Day roster in 2024. Perhaps if he has a long-term deal and service time isn't a consideration that could change.
Per his MLB.com prospect profile:
Chourio brings multiple at least plus tools to the table. His 70-grade speed is perhaps the loudest, and it was a big reason why Milwaukee moved him to center field, where he could cover even more ground than shortstop. What’s more, his contact at the plate is loud and capable of playing everywhere in the park. Brewers officials were often awestruck at how the right-handed slugger thumped the ball to right almost as easily as he did to left.
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