Jackson Chourio Is Breaking Minor League Baseball
Let’s start with a tweet:
If you didn’t know anything else about Jackson Chourio, but you saw this stat, you’d immediately assume that he’s pretty damn good.
There is a caveat to note. Chourio has far fewer plate appearances than the other names on this list. As of this writing he’s at 146. The rest of the players mostly range from 300-500 PAs. And it’s only the middle of June. If Chourio is still on this list in another couple of months then we can really start getting excited.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s fire up the hype train.
Who Is Jackson Chourio?
The 18-year-old was the Milwaukee Brewers’ top prospect from their 2020-21 international class. Signed out of Venezuela, he spent ‘21 at the Dominican Summer League, starting slow but finishing on a tear. Baseball America ranked him as the organization’s No. 10 prospect over the offseason.
He began 2022 at extended spring training and the expectation was that he’d head to the Arizona Complex League once those games began in June. But Chourio forced his way to Single-A Carolina at the start of May, which is very rare. He hasn’t slowed down, batting .368/.418/.632 with 6 homers, 28 runs, 28 RBI, and 4 stolen bases in 33 games.
What Makes Chourio Special?
So what? We’ve seen plenty of teenagers tear up the lower minors only to fizzle out as they moved up the professional ladder. It’s important to remember that Chourio is only in Single-A. And that he’s 18. There’s a long way to go developmentally.
But that’s what makes him special. He’s 18.
The initial tweet to start this blog post says it all. The track record of players who perform this well at this age is pretty remarkable. Adjusting for 2022, Chourio is the youngest player in full-season baseball and the only active player to be born in 2004. 18-year-olds aren’t supposed to be dominating at this level.
What Is The Scouting Report on Chourio?
Chourio can be summed up as an explosive athlete with whippy bat speed, but most scouts and folks within the industry note that he’s a lot more than just a slugger. The burgeoning top prospect also stands out for his ability to recognize pitches, mature ABs, and frequent contact for his age.
Still a bit wiry, Chourio’s power comes from that exceptional acceleration in his swing path. However, he’s so young and still has some physical projection to grow into.
Defensively, he signed as a shortstop but questionable arm strength led to him transitioning to center field. Chourio is considered a plus runner who uses his speed to his advantage both in the outfield and on the bases.
Final Thoughts
I can’t stress enough how early we are in Chourio’s career. Maybe he’s just white-hot right now. Maybe he won’t finish with an outlandish wRC+ for his age. But he certainly has the attention of the prospect community for the moment. This is what future stars look like at his age. Wander Franco made the leap seemingly out of nowhere. Julio Rodriguez’s ascension happened before we could blink.
If Chourio was going to reach that level of prospect-status, isn’t this what his first month-plus of minor league action would look like? Major prospect sites are typically somewhat conservative with their rankings, but Baseball America’s latest update had him at No. 42 overall. As an 18-year-old.
I think the best way to describe what could happen from here is “Jasson Dominguez-esque hype, but with the production to back it.” Hyperbole? Time will tell. As of June 12th, 2022, Chourio is breaking Minor League Baseball with zero signs of slowing down.