The MLB season is nearing the playoffs as the minor league season ends. It is that time of year again where awards are discussed and statistics are thrown around. Baseball America has begun to name the prospects who performed best for each team in the MiLB this year, and the Brewers pick is no shock.
Here is a breakdown of the 2022 Minor Leaguer of the year for the Brewers organization, Jackson Chourio.
A Familiar Face for the Brewers
Jackson Chourio has been the talk of town this year. 2022 marked the first professional year the 18-year old has played in the United States and he made his presence felt. The Venezuelan prospect started the year in Low-A rookie ball but worked his way up to Double-A this year. Also, Chourio made his way to No. 2 overall on the Top 100 prospects list.
In 93 games at Single-A, he batted .300 with 20 homers, 14 stolen bases, and 30 walks. After tearing it up at that level, Chourio found his way onto Double-A Biloxi. He only had two hits in Double-A this season, but it also came as a teenager. Chourio was the youngest player on his High-A team by nine months and then became the youngest player in the system to surpass Single-A baseball.
The Difficulty Of Success
Chourio struggled a bit playing at the higher levels this year. His average dropped down to .252 with the Timber Rattlers but he managed to hit eight home runs and drove in 24 runs during his short time with them. In his Double-A debut, Chourio drove in three and managed to catch the eyes of the staff with his speed and defense. As a natural center fielder, he excels at tracking down the ball and getting into position to make the next play.
The season Chourio has had is impressive at any age, but given the length he played this year his success means more. Usually, younger prospects don’t earn many chances or they need a full year to get out of Single-A. Baseball is a developmental sport, and it takes time to reach any level of the game. Chourio was an extended spring training invite this year, meaning he started his season at the same time as the Brewers did. Chourio has been playing all year, which is quite the task at the ripe age of 18.
After a historic rise in one full season, it should be interesting to see what can be done next year. Assuming Chourio starts the year in Double-A, he could find himself in Nashville before the end of the year. It would come as a shock to see the teenager on Nashville’s roster day one, but it shouldn’t be ruled out.
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