The Milwaukee Brewers are reportedly set to close a record-breaking contract today with a player who has never played a game in the major league, according to a new report. The deal could lock in one of the world’s greatest prospects and change the way future prospects’ contracts are structured with MLB teams.
Ctk18529 2
“Breaking: Top CF prospect Jackson Chourio, 19, and the Brewers are expected to complete today the richest contract ever for a player who has yet to reach the big leagues,” Jon Heyman reported earlier. “The deal is expected to be for 8 guaranteed years and close to $80M and include two team options.”
Milwaukee Brewers beat writer Adam McCalvy, who added that the sides need to finalize the worth of the contract and complete a physical for Jackson Chourio, confirmed the report. McCalvy added that the team and player have agreed on the eight-year guaranteed structure and club options within the prospective agreement.
As the Milwaukee Brewers add the world’s leading center field prospect to their roster with this record-breaking agreement, they are setting a new precedent for the signing of players yet to play a single big league game. To date, the largest such deals have been:
- Chicago White Sox OF Luis Robert Jr. for six years, $50 million in 2020
- Chicago White Sox OF Eloy Jiménez for six years, $43 million in 2019
- Seattle Mariners 1B Evan White for six years, $24 million in 2019
- Philadelphia Phillies IF Scott Kingery for six years, $24 million in 2018
- Houston Astros 1B Jon Singleton for five years, $10 million in 2014
Those deals have had mixed results for the clubs to date, but Luis Robert Jr. turned in an all-star campaign for the Chicago White Sox in 2023.
Ctk18539 2
How Jackson Chourio Will Change the Milwaukee Brewers
Rumors of the total value of Jackson Chourio’s prospective contract circulated yesterday, with Wisconsin Sports Heroics’ Tyler Koerth noting that a long-term contract could be significant for the Milwaukee Brewers as they look to determine their future without recently-departed manager Craig Counsell.
“A deal of that length could play heavily into the Brewers favor if he produces at a high level,” Koerth noted. “There also is the possibility that things don’t go well in which Milwaukee then would have surrendered a lot of money.”
Ctk18098 2
The deal could have other ramifications for the Milwaukee Brewers’ on-field product next season. Competition for time in the outfield is strong, as the team would have to decide between veterans Christian Yelich and Tyrone Taylor and promising prospects in addition to Jackson Chourio, including Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer.
Jackson Chourio is touted as a five-tool talent, who boasted an .837 OPS across three seasons in the Minor League. In 2023 with Double-A Biloxi, he slugged a career-high 22 homers, then played in the Winter League of his native Venezuela where he continued to dominate, hitting .379/.453/.530 in just 17 games.
