3 reasons Brewers fans should be excited about Luis Lara's major contract extension

After being at the forefront of a wave of pre-MLB debut contract extensions earlier this year by signing shortstop Cooper Pratt to an eight-year, $50.75 million guaranteed deal, the Milwaukee Brewers are at it again. They are getting even farther ahead of the curve by signing outfielder Luis Lara to a seven-year, $31 million guaranteed contract, marking the organization's second pre-MLB extension this year and third of all time.

There is a lot to like about these deals. Not only do the Brewers have a strong track record of identifying the right candidates for early extensions - players such as Freddy Peralta, Aaron Ashby, and Jackson Chourio are recent examples - but the timing of these agreements could prove especially valuable with the financial landscape of baseball changing this offseason following the enactment of a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

However the new CBA looks in 2027 and beyond, future players will likely be positioned to earn more money at the beginning of their careers. If that proves true, locking in talented young players to long-term deals now could pay massive dividends down the road, as these contracts would already be in place regardless of any future changes to the sport's economic structure.

Those long-term financial benefits are certainly part of the appeal, but they are far from the only reason Brewers fans should be excited about this deal. Here are three additional reasons why fans should be excited about Lara's contract extension.

Three reasons Milwaukee Brewers fans should be excited about Luis Lara's contract extension

1. No pressure to perform early on

Whenever Lara ultimately makes his Major League debut, and it's worth noting that Pratt has yet to make his own, despite putting pen to paper back in April, he is likely to do so without the weight of immediately high expectations. The Brewers' current outfield depth is extensive, featuring Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and Jake Bauers as regulars and Brandon Lockridge, Blake Perkins, and Akil Baddoo as reserves, but Lara certainly could get an extended look this year should anyone get injured or Frelick fail to get things going at the plate in the near future.

That said, if Lara's debut doesn't come until 2027, the roster could look much different by then. Even so, he would still have all three minor league options remaining, which gives the Brewers valuable flexibility. If Lara struggles out of the gate, as most young hitters do when they first face big-league pitching, the organization would have the ability to send him back to the minors for additional development and adjustments without having to worry about roster constraints.

2. Lara has a profile the Brewers' value greatly

Over the past several years, the Brewers have consistently found ways to maximize the talent on their roster despite not being a major player on the free agent market. Much of that success has been built around strong defense, aggressive baserunning, and hitters who make contact and put the ball in play. Coincidentally, those are many of the same traits that define Lara's game.

His defensive ability, speed, and contact-oriented approach should make him a natural fit within Milwaukee's system, thus raising his floor. Being a switch hitter adds additional value to his game, and given the leaps he has made in the power department in Triple-A this year, there's hope that his most productive offensive season is still ahead of him.

3. The Brewers have a great deal of flexibility when it comes to Lara's contract

Much like Pratt's extension, Lara's deal includes multiple club options that could keep him in Milwaukee well beyond the guaranteed years of the contract. Pratt's agreement contains options for the 2034 and 2035 seasons, while Lara's reportedly includes club options covering 2033 through 2035.

With no known buyout figures attached to those additional years, the Brewers have positioned themselves to maintain significant control over Lara's future. If he develops into the player they envision, Milwaukee will have the ability to keep him under contract deeper into his prime years on terms that are entirely their decision.

Ultimately, Lara's extension represents that the Brewers believe they have identified a cornerstone piece of their future and are willing to bet on it by providing him with life-changing money. The contract carries some risk, as all pre-debut extensions do, but if Lara develops into the player the Brewers envision, this deal could eventually join the likes of Peralta's, Ashby's, Chourio's, and potentially Pratt's as examples of the organization getting ahead of the curve.

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