Top Milwaukee Brewers prospect Jackson Chourio has done nothing but impress everyone so far during his young professional baseball career and development. The 19 year old out of Venezuela has been playing in Major League spring training games and is performing quite well. While that is awesome to see, there's essentially no chance that he starts the year with the Brew Crew.
At 18 years old last season, Chourio ascended to the Double-A ranks of the Minor Leagues. He got roughly a week's worth of action there before the season ended. Given the limited sample size, it was likely that this is where he would begin the 2023 season. On Tuesday night, Brewers GM Matt Arnold all but confirmed that suspicion.
Milwaukee Brewers GM Matt Arnold says that Jackson Chourio is likely to begin the 2023 season in Double-A Biloxi.
During a forum with season ticket holders Matt Arnold was answering questions. When asked about Jackson Chourio and his starting destination, here is what he had to say.
"We’re still working through our roster construction in the Minor Leagues, and there are a lot of cascading effects that honestly trickle down from the Major Leagues. But I would probably say it’s likely that he starts in Double-A. Don’t hold me to that, because I know we’re still having real conversations with it. But he did get there last year at 18 years old."Matt Arnold, Brewers GM
As mentioned above, it's not too surprising to hear that Jackson Chourio likely will begin the 2023 season in Double-A. What's more intriguing about Matt Arnold's quote is that he indicated that there are still conversations going on regarding it.
This likely means that the Brewers are discussing if Chourio should skip Double-A altogether and advance to Triple-A. Chourio lit up the Low-A and Advanced-A levels last season. At Low-A he slashed .324/.373/.600 over 62 games that included 12 home runs, 47 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. A level higher,
There could be a chance they would also consider starting him in High-A Wisconsin again as the upper levels of the minors get figured out first and he gets shuffled down. He didn't spend a ton of time at the High-A level last year but he crushed the ball across 31 games, to the tune of hitting .252/.317/.488 with eight home runs, six doubles, and 24 RBI with the Timber Rattlers.
It would be an bold move by the Milwaukee Brewers to have Chourio skip Double-A, but aside from performance there are other logistical reasons that this could make sense. Examples include Minor League roster construction and the comfort of becoming familiar/settling into one place as opposed to having to switch teams mid season again.
Regardless of where Jackson Chourio starts, it's highly anticipated that eventually he will progress to the Triple-A level in 2023. It would take a disastrous season/drastic fall for him to remain at Double-A all season long.