After tearing it up in Low-A Ball, rising Milwaukee Brewers prospect Jackson Chourio was promoted Sunday to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (High-A).
Chourio has steadily raised his prospect status over the last year. Who is this guy you’ve been hearing all Brewers media members talk about? How did he become viewed as a star-in-the-making as the Brewers’ top-ranked prospect? Let’s take a look.
Chourio signed with Brewers as 16-year-old
Jackson Chourio signing with the Brewers as an international prospect wasn’t viewed as a major deal. After just a year it looks like it could prove to be a franchise-altering signing. Chourio has gone from unheralded kid to the top prospect in the entire Brewers’ farm system.
Chourio inked with Milwaukee at just 16 years old for $1.8 million. He ranked 18th on MLB Pipeline’s list of the top international prospects in 2021 and 15th on Baseball America’s list when the Brew Crew signed him.
Chourio shows tools Brewers saw in him
The Venezuela native Chourio was signed as a shortstop but he’s been playing center field at Carolina and will in Appleton. Chourio spent 2021 in the Dominican Summer League and Venezuelan Winter League.
Chourio jumped into the top-100 MLB prospects when he hit .296/.386/.447 with five homers and a 28/23 K/BB ratio over 45 games in the Dominican Summer League. However, it’s what he’s done stateside that has caused his rise to top prospect status.
To preface how special Chourio has been, first you must realize he was one of the youngest players in Low-A ball.
Due to some fellow prospects’ graduation from the list and just prior to the midseason update, Chourio settled at No. 94 and no. 96, according to MLB Pipeline and Baseball America, respectively.
In his first action in the Brewers’ organization, he’s turned heads with the Carolina Mudcats.
Flights to and from L.A. for the Futures Game, 4 days off…
Nothing can slow down @Brewers top prospect Jackson Chourio, who set a career high with 3 extra-base hits — all doubles — for the @CarolinaMudcats: https://t.co/VNR43XHcZi pic.twitter.com/fGK1pTCtsE
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 23, 2022
Chourio soaring up prospect rankings
Chourio slashed .324/.373/.600 with 12 homers, five triples and 23 doubles in 62 games with the Mudcats. He ranks near the top in average, slugging percentage and OPS (.973) in single-A. He was one of the youngest players in A-ball. Now he is the youngest player in High-A following his promotion after turning 18 in March.
🚨Jackson Chourio PROMOTED to A+🚨
• Will be 𝟵 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 than the next youngest player in High-A
• Dominated A-ball pitching: 2nd in OPS (.973) and SLG (.600) #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/L2fGqJ7Mv0
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) July 24, 2022
His rise up the Brewers’ system appears as steady as his skyrocketing up the prospect list. In June’s rankings, Chourio had the second biggest leap in the rankings. He went from 94 to 39 in MLB Pipeline’s rankings and propelled from 96 to 43 in Baseball America’s list. Then a month later in the midseason update, Chourio soared to No. 20 on Baseball America’s list.
The youngest player on the Top 100 Prospects list is now the youngest player in High-A ball.
The Brewers have promoted 18-year-old Jackson Chourio to Wisconsin: https://t.co/R7KBHBeLgB pic.twitter.com/Xu2wkfHQnF
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 24, 2022
But the tests continue for a top prospect. He will need to prove himself at each stop. He raked his way through Carolina and will now look to do the same in Appleton. It is extremely exciting to have this type of player in the Brewer farm system, one who is drawing comparisons to current MLB stars like Ronald Acuna Jr., who reached the big leagues at age 20.
“I compare him to an Acuña type of player,” Carolina head coach Victor Estevez said in an article by Sam Dykstra. Any of those young guys who made it to the big leagues early, I compare him to those types of players, to be honest.”
Where does Chourio go from here?
It could be a swift stop in Appleton for Chourio if he keeps hitting. Look at Garrett Mitchell who spent just a couple of months there. If Chourio hits like he did in Carolina, I anticipate Chourio begins next season at Double-A Biloxi.
Either way it’s fascinating to see a player come from nowhere in the Brewers system before the year to one of MLB’s top prospects. Brewer fans could be seeing the rising prospect far sooner than originally expected. With the tools he’s shown at the plate it’s hard not to be excited for Chourio playing next to Christian Yelich in as soon as a couple of years.
Highest wRC+ for an 18 year old in A ball (min. 100 PA) since 2015:
155 – Wander Franco
154 – Fernando Tatis Jr.
151 – Vlad Guerrero Jr.
150 – Jackson Chourio
145 – Julio Rodriguez
139 – Ronald Acuña Jr.Search results via FanGraphs minor league leaderboards: pic.twitter.com/4I4X923HeK
— Cream City Prospects (@CreamCityPro) June 1, 2022
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