Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Jackson Chourio has played six games above Double-A, all in Triple-A.
He is 19 years old.
Despite all those things, he is about to sign a one-of-a-kind, life-altering deal worth nearly $80 million.
MLB insider Jon Heyman has all the details of the agreement.
“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. The deal is expected to be for 8 guaranteed years and close to $80M and include two team options,” Heyman tweeted.
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. The deal is expected to be for 8 guaranteed years snd close to $80M and include two team options.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 30, 2023
$80 million for a player who hasn’t even sniffed the big leagues might sound insane, but it really isn’t.
It’s part of a modern strategy in which teams approach young, future stars with little to no MLB time but incredible skills with life-changing money in exchange for staying with the franchise for a long, long time.
The Tampa Bay Rays did it with Wander Franco (even though it could blow up in their face because of his legal situation and ongoing investigations), the Atlanta Braves did it with Ronald Acuna Jr. back in the day, and so on.
Chourio is the second-best prospect in MLB according to specialists, and he had his best season yet in the minor leagues by hitting .280/.336/.467 with 22 home runs and 43 stolen bases in Double-A.
His wRC+ was 112, above the league average of 100.
He then played six Triple-A games and struck out in only 4.2 percent of his plate appearances, stealing a base and hitting .333.
The tools are similar to those of Acuna, and he has future star written all over him.
The Brewers are taking a risk, but so is Chourio.
If he develops into a true star, he would be leaving money on the table.
It’s the tradeoff for financial security for life.
NEXT: The Brewers Are Reportedly Shopping An Injured Veteran