Grading Brewers' $31M Luis Lara Extension as the Dust Settles

The Milwaukee Brewers pulled off another excellent extension earlier in the week.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the Brewers and 21-year-old outfielder Luis Lara agreed to terms on a seven-year, $31 million contract extension that also includes three club options. In the immediate aftermath of the deal, it looked good and got a lot of praise.

Now that the dust has settled a bit, how should it be graded?

Brewers-Luis Lara Extension Grade: A+

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Luis Lara plays catch during spring training workouts Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Lara deal just looks phenomenal. There's a reason why the Brewers' front office is viewed as one of the best in the business and this deal is yet another reason why. The exact breakdown of his yearly salary moving forward hasn't been revealed, but it doesn't need to for it to look like a phenomenal by the organization.

Right now, he's 21 years old and won't turn 22 years old until November. So, if the extension kicks in next season, it would cover his seasons from age 22 to 28. Then, the club options would have his age 29, 30, and 31 seasons. If the extension technically counts towards this season, then those numbers just move up one, so the seven-year part would carry from age 21 to 27 with the club options covering his age 28, 29, and 30 seasons.

If he can live up to his lofty potential, this deal is going to look like a steal rather quickly. So far this season, he is slashing .336/.447/.493 with a .940 OPS, seven homers, 28 RBIs, 20 stolen bases, 41 walks, eight doubles, and two triples in 58 games played. Also, he is an elite defensive prospect.

In comparison, Cooper Pratt is slashing .252/.363/.405 with a .768 OPS, six homers, 32 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases in Triple-A after landing an extension worth over $50 million across eight seasons with two club options earlier in the season. When Jackson Chourio got his extension from the Brewers before making his big league debut, it was worth $82 million. It's important to note that he was a bit younger than the 21-year-old Lara.

Still, this is a guy who is playing at an elite level in Triple-A at a premium position, but got almost $20 million less than Pratt and almost $50 million less than Chourio. The Brewers struck gold. The dust is settling and it looks like a near-perfect deal. The Brewers' front office certainly did it again.

Add us as a preferred source on Google