Cooper Pratt’s ongoing streak should have Brewers strongly considering a promotion to MLB

Cooper Pratt didn't make the hottest impression after signing his eight-year extension with the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting just .229 with five total extra-base hits in April to open his 2026 season in Nashville. That was hardly catastrophic for a 21-year-old, but it was reason enough to keep him in Triple-A despite the expensive new contract.

Now, though, those excuses have run out. Pratt was fantastic in May, posting an .800 OPS and 115 wRC+ as the Sounds' starting shortstop. He did strike out a bit more, but he also ran his on-base streak up to 21 games by the end of the month.

With Joey Ortiz (54 wRC+) slumping badly at the plate again this year, it may finally be time to call Pratt up and give him some leash in Milwaukee.

Cooper Pratt needs a chance to prove he can upgrade Brewers' infield before trade deadline

Right now, the left side of the Brewers' infield is one gigantic black hole on offense. Ortiz (.534) and Luis Rengifo (.543) both have sub-.600 OPS figures entering play on June 2, and David Hamilton (.624) isn't too far behind, which simply isn't tenable for a legitimate contender. Rengifo, in particular, doesn't even bring the speed or defense components to his game that make the other two more palatable.

Pratt hasn't exactly been a world-beater at Triple-A this year, but a 21-year-old who can work near-equal strikeout (14.9%) and walk rates (14.0%) deserves a look against the highest level of competition. It wouldn't even be a headache to get him on the roster, since he joined the 40-man upon signing his $50 million extension.

Yes, there's something to be said for not rushing a young player who is still developing. But Pratt won a Gold Glove last season with Double-A Biloxi while stealing 31 bases -- his floor is still ridiculously high, even if his bat takes a while to come around.

It's important that this happens quickly, since the Brewers will have to upgrade over the Ortiz-Hamilton-Rengifo triumvirate at some point this summer. Giving Pratt a few months to prove his major-league bona fides may be a truncated process, but it's better than stashing him in the minors and trading prospect depth for more veteran help. If Pratt struggles and that becomes necessary, so be it, but that should be a last resort for this front office.

In the midst of a hot streak, there's no better time than right now to give him a chance. In a worst-case scenario, he proves in need of more seasoning. If the best outcome comes to pass, the Brewers will have a long-term, in-house solution for their shortstop problem.

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