MILWAUKEE -- Two and a half years after they broke records and reaped benefits with a long-term extension for Jackson Chourio before he’d spent a single day in the Major Leagues, the Brewers finalized a long-term deal with another top prospect on Friday.
This time it’s infielder Cooper Pratt, the Brewers’ No. 4-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline and No. 62 on the overall Top 100. Terms were not announced, but the 21-year-old reportedly signed an eight-year contract worth just north of $50 million with two club options for at least an additional $15 million per season.
It also comes with a spot on the 40-man roster. The Brewers added Pratt and optioned him to Triple-A Nashville. In a corresponding move, the club designated outfielder Steward Berroa for assignment.
"More than his baseball ability is just who Cooper is as a person," manager Pat Murphy said in a statement. "I think Brewers fans will fall in love with him. He is a remarkable kid who has great baseball acumen and comes from a baseball family."
If Pratt's terms sound familiar, it’s because Chourio’s pact, sealed during the 2023 Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., was also for eight years plus two club options. It guaranteed Chourio $82 million, which was a record for a player with zero MLB experience, and was inked at a time he had played only six games above the Double-A level.
Pratt, meanwhile, had never played north of Double-A before being assigned to Triple-A Nashville to begin this season. Last year in the Southern League, he hit .238/.343/.348 while playing Major League-caliber defense. The Brewers drafted him out of high school in the sixth round in 2023 and signed him for $1,350,000 – more than $1 million over the slot value for that pick as part of a shrewd strategy of shifting Draft pool dollars to high-upside players in the middle rounds.
Pratt was in his second big league camp this spring, and he was with the Major League club as recently as last week for a pair of Milwaukee exhibitions against the Reds.
“You’re talking about a 21-year-old with upside, and if the bat clicks, he’s going to be a monster,” said Brewers Major League field coordinator Nestor Corredor. “In my humble opinion, if he hits .250 with 15 homers in the big leagues with that defense, it’s worth it.”
The question is the offense, which is why the World Baseball Classic benefited players like Pratt so much. With shortstop Joey Ortiz (Mexico) and second baseman Brice Turang (USA) off playing in the WBC, Pratt saw action for the Brewers in 18 Cactus League games, third-most on the team.
That was in addition to all of the extra at-bats he picked up against pitchers throwing simulated games on the side.
“At this point, most young guys just need game reps as much as possible. That’s going to be the best thing for him,” said Brewers lead hitting coach Eric Theisen. “He’s starting to improve on approach stuff, starting to get an idea for his strengths, how he might be attacked. It’s ‘feel of game’ type stuff. He’s got a good bat, for sure.”
And an elite glove.
“What I know from working with him as a defender is he has as repeatable mechanics and is as trustworthy as anybody we have in the organization," said Brewers third base coach and infield guru Matt Erickson. “Joey Ortiz is a hell of a defender, right? And if there’s anybody out there who I would say is close to Joey right now within our organization, it’s [Pratt], for sure.”
Pratt is a shortstop at heart, but Erickson didn’t hate that he saw some time at second base in the waning days of Spring Training.
It took only a couple of reps, Erickson said, for Pratt to go from wide-eyed to comfortable, while turning double plays from the other side of the bag.
“What’s not to like?” Murphy said. “He has aptitude. He’s a baseball player – a good baseball player. He’s got a ways to go. He’s got to develop. But he’s a great human and a great worker. I hope I’m around when he gets to the big leagues.”