One of the biggest storylines in baseball this season is the solid rookie class. And in a group of tremendous talent, the youngest player among them may end up being the best player of the bunch.
In the Venezuelan town of Maracaibo, which has produced many major leaguers, including Hall of Fame shortstop Luis Aparicio, the Milwaukee Brewers have found a young, muscular outfielder named Jackson Chorio. And even though the 20-year-old is only nine games into his major league career, the Brewers believe he will one day be the face of the team.
“Something told me, 'This is going to be a special kid,'” Brewers field coordinator Nestor Corredor, who met Chourio when he was 17, told Yahoo Sports. “The way he approaches the game, the way he approaches his job, the sound of the ball coming off the bat, there's something special that comes through.”
The Brewers signed Chourio, a 16-year-old from Venezuela, in 2021, and he wasted no time showing what he could do on the diamond. After arriving in the United States, Cholio grew exponentially within Milwaukee's system, being not only the youngest player at each level, but also the best.
In three seasons in the minors, Cholio became a true five-tool player, hitting .286/.347/.490 while showing an elite combination of power and speed. Since his professional career began in 2021, he has gone from relative obscurity to the top of every prospect list in the game. He is currently considered the No. 2 prospect in all of baseball behind the Orioles' Jackson Holiday, who will make his major league debut on Wednesday.
This winter, Milwaukee signed Chourio to an eight-year, $82 million extension, the largest contract a player ever signed before making his MLB debut. With the monster extension completed, the expectation was that the Brewers' top prospect would lead the team out of spring training.
“I'm very honored to be here in Milwaukee and have the organization believe in me,” Ciorio told Yahoo Sports this spring. “We're ready to put on a show for Major League Baseball and all the fans who haven't been able to see us play yet.”
But as new Brewers manager Pat Murphy emphasized during camp, nothing is left for the young outfielder. There were no shortcuts.
“I don't think being soft on him is the way to go,” Murphy said. “Love is a way. But that doesn't mean it's easy. …and we think it is” [have told] He's like, “Hey, this is your path.” But we have to be there for him because it's hard to navigate. ”
“I wanted to do everything I could to make this team,” Corio said. “I think the biggest thing I tried to do over the winter was get my body in shape and get ready for a full season here. Get ready. I wanted to keep it.”
Milwaukee clearly believed he was, as he left the major league club's camp as the team's Opening Day right fielder. In his debut against the Mets, Chourio went 1-for-3 with one hit, one walk, one RBI, and one stolen base. He has a batting average of .278, two home runs, and seven RBIs through nine games this season.
Corredor, who joined the Brewers' Major League coaching staff in 2021, is also from Venezuela and coached Chorio in the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason. The two developed a relationship through the experience, and Corredor sought to be a sounding board for his countryman as Corio prepared for his first major league season.
“I knew his abilities as a player, but when it came to the personal side, I paid more attention because I knew the club wanted his feedback,” Corredor said during their time together in Venezuela. talked about. “And it was that laugh, that free play, that energy that he brought to the dugout and the clubhouse — he was always talking, he was always laughing. He's a funny kid. He has people around him. There are so many things that make me want to stay there.”
Chourio's ability is undeniable to anyone watching him. But even the best players in the game can't escape the realities of big league pressure and expectations. That's especially true for a player who was a teenager just a month ago.
“We had a lot of conversations over the winter. We had a lot of conversations after he signed the extension,” Corredor said. “There's no question that spring training was a challenge for him. He came into spring training with extra time and thought he had a lot to prove to people. He made some mistakes on the field. , and was seen struggling at the plate, but then he started playing a little more loosely.
“He realized he didn't have to impress people. He just had to be himself. And now we're seeing it. I hope he's in the big leagues in the future. If you understand how people live, it will be even better than it is now.”
There's no question the Brewers understand Chourio's talent. That's why they've already invested so much in him. But at the end of the day, he's still the youngest player in MLB, and there will continue to be a learning curve for him. Players like Austin Riley, Marcus Semien, Aaron Judge, and even Mike Trout went through ups and downs after being called up to the big leagues early before becoming the All-Stars we see today. I experienced it.
For Chourio, his youth gives him time to develop into a complete product, and the Brewers, especially shortstop Willie Adams, are doing everything they can to make sure he feels supported along the way.
“Everyone on the team was really helpful, but Willie helped me and took me under his wing,” Cholio said. “Lots of advice. This year our lockers were next to each other, so it gave me a chance to talk more and pick his brains every day. It was very helpful.”
Murphy added: “Encouragement always works. I think that's the key. When we say to him, 'Hey, we believe in you,' Jackson believes. We really think so, and we're here for you. ”
