Brewers Reportedly Signing Top-100 Prospect Cooper Pratt to 8-Year Contract Before MLB Debut
Cooper Pratt has yet to appear in an MLB game, but the skilled shortstop already has his first big payday.
The New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Pratt and the Milwaukee Brewers agreed to an eight-year deal worth $50.8 million. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic added that the contract includes two club options "with escalators on option years."
MLB.com ranks the 21-year-old as the fourth-best prospect in Milwaukee's system and No. 62 overall in baseball.
Pratt spent the 2025 season in Double-A. He struggled at the plate a bit, posting a .238/.343/.348 slash line. He did finish second on the Biloxi Shuckers in doubles (22) and stolen bases (31).
The middle infielder is also a plus defender, winning a minor league Gold Glove in 2024.
Pratt only has 15 plate appearances above Double-A under his belt, and he's far from the finished product as a hitter. Agreeing to a long-term contract may not tee up an imminent promotion to the big leagues.
It's safe to assume his MLB debut will be coming at some point in 2026, though. Buying out some of a player's arbitration and free agency years is one of the objectives behind signing them so early. That requires them to begin accruing service time.
The Brewers followed the same approach with center fielder Jackson Chourio. They signed him to an eight-year deal in December 2023 before he debuted. In his case, though, he cracked the Opening Day roster rather than starting in Triple-A.
Chourio was generally considered a better prospect, ranking second on MLB.com's list for 2024.
The investment is paying off nicely so far with the 22-year-old compiling 6.8 WAR through his first two seasons, per FanGraphs.
In general, the Brewers' success in player development is evident from the team consistently making the playoffs despite running a payroll below the league average. Key veterans leave and younger, cheaper replacements keep the franchise chugging along.
The fact general manager Matt Arnold deemed Pratt worthy of a contract this early represents a strong endorsement as to his long-term outlook.
