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 are on the cusp of locking up another top prospect to a long-term deal.
This time it’s an infielder, 21-year-old Cooper Pratt, the Brewers’ No. 4-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline and No. 62 on the overall Top 100. Multiple sources told MLB.com that he is closing in on an eight-year contract worth just north of $50 million with two club options for at least an additional $15 million per season, as first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported that the guarantee will be $50.75 million.
The Brewers have not confirmed those reports. Club policy is to never discuss player or staff extension talks with the media.
“I feel like I prepared well enough to get ready for the season, and hopefully I’ll get going early and then I’ll be here some time soon,” Pratt said last week in Milwaukee while packing his bags for the Minors. “I want to say I’m really confident, but it’s all God’s plan. I feel like I can play in the big leagues, so when that time comes, I’ll be ready.”
Brewers officials weren’t talking, but when news like this breaks, it doesn’t take long to spread around the clubhouse.
“What we saw with Jackson when he signed, it gave him the freedom to just go play,” said one of the Brewers’ coaches, who requested anonymity because the contract is not yet official. “With Cooper, knowing he doesn’t have to worry about anything, he has freedom to go work in the cage, work with the hitting coaches, adjust.
“We know the defense is there. He can play defense [in the big leagues] right now. That’s not in doubt for anybody. We’re not talking about a project.”
If Pratt's tentative 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 more than 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?” Brewers manager Pat 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.”