Brewers phenom Jackson Chourio set for stardom

Meet the future face of Brewers baseball, if not Major League Baseball. Jackson Chourio is too modest to declare that publicly, but the Brewers clearly think this 20-year-old Venezuelan is special. 

Actually, most baseball experts are high on Chourio. Even the sportsbooks like him. Only the Dodgers’ Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the San Francisco Giants’ South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee are given better odds than Chourio to win the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year award. 

Yamamoto and Lee, however, are both 25 years old with previous experience playing professional baseball in their native countries. Chourio barely celebrated his 20th birthday on March 11. 

Jackson Chourio closes in on dream

He has played winter ball in Venezuela, but otherwise he enters his rookie season with only 272 minor-league games on his resume. 

“Truly, playing in Venezuela and playing here I think there’s a great difference,” he says. “I think playing there I play more for my family. Here I play more for me. My dream is to play in the big leagues. I think I’m close to accomplishing it.”

Chourio is definitely close. Only foul weather can delay his big league debut. The Brewers gave Chourio an eight-year, $82 million contract that could potentially increase to $142.5 million last December.

The speedy 5-foot-11 center fielder became only the sixth player to secure a guaranteed contract before his MLB debut. This significant investment shows the Brewers’ confidence in his abilities.

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Once he makes his debut, Chourio will likely join an exclusive group of players who have made a mark in baseball before turning 21. He will reach the majors with the hype and expectations that greeted Juan Soto, Ronald Acuña Jr., Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Mike Trout. 

No pressure, kid.

“I don’t see it as a pressure,” Chourio said. “I see it as a blessing, a motivation for me. My brother (Jaison) and I take it with a lot of respect.”

Rookie of the year contender

While it is still too early to predict if Chourio will reach the same level as these players, the Brewers see great potential in him. It wouldn’t surprise anybody if Chourio is the Brewers’ second Rookie of the Year in five years and first since closer Devin Williams won the Jackie Robinson award in 2020.

The Brewers have not had a position player win the Rookie of the Year award since Ryan Braun won it in 2007. While Yamamoto is considered the frontrunner in the NL Rookie of the Year race, Chourio stands as a formidable contender.

This spring he has worked on improving his pitch selection. The results have been impressive. He finished with a .323 batting average and a .776 OPS in the Cactus League. 

Chourio is also a threat on the bases. He swiped 44 bags between Class AA Biloxi and Class AAA Nashville last season, displaying the elite speed scouts have raved about. 

Handling the lofty expectations

“His skill is no doubt,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of Chourio. “I mean, you can see it at the plate. Defensively he’s been a little tentative. He’s got to get better there. I’m still very confident this kid is going to be really, really good.”

Although his defense is a work in progress, Jackson Chourio possesses all the necessary tools to become a star player.

Given his contract and prospect ranking, the expectations and pressure on Chourio are undeniable, especially considering he just celebrated his 20th birthday.

Upon his debut, Chourio will become the sixth youngest player to represent the Brewers. He’s special, and it won’t take long for the rest of baseball to see why the Brewers were willing to invest so much in him so early.

Jackson Chourio will likely become a household name soon in Milwaukee and throughout the majors.