Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jackson Chourio has gone deep for the first time of his career, presumbly the first of many home run in his promising career.
The 20-year-old outfielder stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fifth with the Brewers holding a 2-1 lead and provided his team some insurance.
It was 103.5 miles per hour off the bat and traveled 402 feet. As noted, that’s his first career home run, but he’d already been making an impression. Through that at-bat, he’s now hitting .368/.400/.579 with four RBI and a stolen base. That was actually also his first career run scored.
Chourio is the youngest player to hit a home run since Juan Soto did so in 2018 at age 19 and he’s the youngest Brewers player to go yard since Gary Sheffield in 1988, per Sarah Langs. That’s some esteemed company.
Chourio was ranked as the seventh-best prospect in baseball heading into the season by R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports, who wrote the following:
Chourio, the breakout star of the 2022 minor-league season, is a dynamic talent. He’s the rare player who can launch opposite-field home runs with regularity, as well as put infielders in a blender on would-be routine grounders. (There was a game in late April against the Angels‘ Double-A affiliate where he recorded infield singles to the shortstop and the third baseman in consecutive frames.) Some evaluators have expressed hit-tool concerns generated by his aggressive approach. It’s a fair consideration, but Chourio has earned the benefit of the doubt by holding his own in the upper minors at such a young age. If everything clicks, he’ll provide the Brewers with their fifth 30/30 season. And their sixth, their seventh, their eighth, and so on.
After a strong impression in spring training, Chourio broke camp with the team. He’s also already signed a historic eight-year, $82 million extension.
The Brewers won the NL Central in 2023 and despite an offseason that saw them trade ace Corbin Burnes, they’ve started the 2024 season 4-0.
