Milwaukee Brewers prospect Jackson Chourio, despite not having played in the MLB yet, is poised to secure a historic contract. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman has reported that the Brewers intend to ink the 19-year-old outfielder to an eight-year deal worth around $80 million, featuring two club options. This would make it the most lucrative contract in MLB history for a player who hasn’t yet reached the majors.
Contract negotiations between the Brewers and Chourio began during the late stages of the minor-league regular season, as per sources cited by Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Chourio, who joined Milwaukee as an international free agent in 2021, climbed the prospect rankings by posting impressive numbers, batting .286/.347/.490 with 47 homers throughout his minor-league career. In the 2023 season, he played 122 games with Double-A Biloxi, hitting .280/.336/.467 with 23 doubles and 22 home runs.
While Chourio has only played six games above the Double-A level, all with Triple-A Nashville in 2023, he’s likely to be on the Brewers’ Opening Day roster if he agrees to the extension. Over the past decade, there have been five similar signings in baseball, including deals for White Sox outfielders Luis Robert Jr. (six years, $50 million) and Eloy Jimenez (six years, $43 million). However, none of these contracts come close to matching Chourio’s expected payday.