2 players the Brewers would love to sign to an extension after Cubs’ PCA news

The Chicago Cubs locked down the face of their franchise just prior to Opening Day, handing Pete Crow-Armstrong a six-year extension that will keep him in the Windy City for the remainder of his prime.

It would certainly be nice if the Milwaukee Brewers would follow suit given their cache of young talent. The last time they gave out an extension of that length or longer to a pre-arb player was Jackson Chourio, who was signed to his eight-year deal before he ever made his MLB debut.

That gamble has paid off handsomely, which should embolden the front office to do it again. Like Crow-Armstrong, we'll limit this conversation to pre-arb players only. So, with all due respect to William Contreras, Brice Turang, and others, expect to see only the youngest Brewers stars featured.

2 Brewers who must be extended before hitting arbitration

Sal Frelick

It may not seem it on the surface, but Frelick is a shocking facsimile of PCA. Both players meet the following criteria: in their mid-20s, four years of control remaining (prior to an extension), elite defensive outfielder, top-tier baserunner, and left-handed hitter.

Where the two diverge is in their offensive profiles, as Frelick is a contact-oriented on-base threat while Crow-Armstrong is a free-swinging slugger. Nevertheless, all those similarities make it easy to foresee an extension in the former's future, even if he'll fall well short of a nine-figure deal.

Now, it's worth noting that the Cubs are significantly lacking in long-term outfield talent. Owen Caissie was traded this offseason, and both Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ are due for free agency in a year's time. Keeping PCA around for the long haul was as much about necessity as it was cost certainty.

The Brewers have no such issues. Chourio leads a group that includes Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, Blake Perkins, and prospects like Luis Lara, Braylon Payne, and Josh Adamczewski. A lack of supply won't come into play in these negotiations.

Still, if the Crew want to keep Chourio and Frelick on the same outfield grass for the foreseeable future, now would be the time to get a deal done. Once Frelick hits arbitration, it may be impossible to buy out multiple free agent years.

Jacob Misiorowski

What's left to say about The Miz, a 24-year-old phenom who will start on Opening Day this year?

He's one of the most exciting young pitchers in the sport, using a triple-digit fastball to produce otherworldly strikeout totals. With a little more refinement and maturity on the mound, it's not far-fetched to suggest he could claim a Cy Young Award or two in the coming seasons. That would skyrocket his price tag, lending credence to the idea that the Brewers should lock him down now.

However, Misiorowski has six years of team control remaining, three of which will come as a pre-arb player. Assuming he stays healthy, his free agent years will be incredibly valuable, but he also won't reach that point until he's 30. Keeping him for his cheap, prime years and then flipping him for prospects would be right in line with the tradition the Brewers have set for their homegrown aces.

But if the team has a change of heart and actually wants to keep a star pitcher beyond arbitration, who better to do it for than Misiorowski?