KANSAS CITY -- The Brewers finalized a new eight-year contract for 21-year-old shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt on Friday to remain at the forefront of clubs committing to promising players before they ever step foot in the Major Leagues.
Pratt (MLB Pipeline’s No. 60-ranked prospect) gets a spot on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster with the deal, which reportedly guarantees $50.75 million. It covers the 2026-33 seasons, with club options for '34 and '35.
It also comes with a spot on the 40-man roster. The Brewers added Pratt and optioned him to Triple-A Nashville. In a corresponding move, the club designated outfielder Steward Berroa for assignment.
“I can’t say enough about the story here,” said Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold. “When you sign a kid and develop him and lock him up for the term we have here, it’s just an organizational win. All the coaches we’ve had who have been around him – [Double-A manager] Mike Guerrero has raved about this kid being one of the best shortstops we’ve had in our franchise since he’s been in our organization, almost 30 years.”
While Pratt was en route back to Nashville on Friday evening, Arnold met the media to answer these pressing questions:
1. Is this a trend?
Those terms -- eight years plus two club options -- are the same as the precedent-setting pact between Jackson Chourio and the Brewers when the sides reached terms late 2023. It stood as a record commitment to a player prior to his Major League debut until the Mariners signed shortstop Colt Emerson on Wednesday to an eight-year, $95 million deal, which in turn was followed by word on Thursday that the Pirates were nearing a nine-year, $140 million contract with MLB Pipeline No. 1 overall prospect Konnor Griffin.
“I would expect them to continue to happen, for sure,” Arnold said. “Obviously, they are big commitments and they require incredible alignment in the organization and support from the ownership group."
Pratt, who is represented by agent Scott Boras, agreed to a deal that fits the same pattern of a club taking a risk on a still-developing player, and the player trading potential future earnings for the security of a long-term contract. The eight-year baseline means that even if Pratt doesn’t make it to the Majors this season, the Brewers would get an extra year of contractual control beyond the typical player’s six years before reaching free agency – and that’s before the options kick in.
2. What will the Brewers do with all these shortstops?
Touted for his premium defense and work ethic, Pratt had never played north of Double-A before being assigned to Triple-A Nashville to begin this season. Last year in the Southern League, he hit .238/.343/.348 while playing Major League-caliber shortstop.
But the Brewers already have one of baseball’s best defensive shortstops with questions about the bat in Major League incumbent Joey Ortiz. Then they have shortstops galore in the Minors, starting with their top four prospects per MLB Pipeline: Jesús Made (who began the season at Double-A Biloxi), Luis Peña (High-A Wisconsin), Jett Williams (Nashville) and Pratt (Nashville).
“I think it’s a good question, and I would say that I feel our organization prides itself on versatility, and just because a guy is currently at shortstop doesn’t mean he has to stick there. We’ve seen that for a number of different players, including Jackson Chourio. When we first agreed with him, he was a shortstop.”
3. Does this accelerate Pratt’s timeline?
When the Brewers signed Chourio, it paved the way for him to make the Opening Day roster at age 20. Pratt isn’t going straight to the big leagues, but because the deal landed him on the 40-man roster, it does remove one barrier to a promotion. The Brewers also had to burn the first of his three options to send him back to Nashville.
“I don’t think it necessarily changes anything,” Arnold said. “In fact, I think it gives us an opportunity to let him develop at his own pace. I think that’s really important.”
4. Will he hit enough?
The Brewers concede that the glove is ahead of the bat at this juncture, but that don’t believe it’s a guarantee it will remain that way.
“We believe in the bat,” Arnold said. “We believe in the glove, certainly. And look, this guy is really toolsy, too. He’s very athletic. He’s a big, physical kid so I think there’s a chance to grow into some power. And he can really run. When you have that athletic combination, it’s a really good thing. We have a lot of those types of guys at the Major League level, so we feel like he’ll fit right in.”
“He's a really good kid, a really good defender and I'm sure the hit tool is there, too,” Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick said. “From what I've seen, super tools. To be that good at such a young age is really impressive. It's a good investment and you are buying security. So, I get it from both parties.”
5. Why was Pratt the one?
The Brewers and scout Scott Nichols have been especially high on Pratt for years. They drafted him out of high school in the sixth round in 2023 and convinced him to forego a scholarship at Ole Miss with a $1,350,000 signing bonus – more than $1 million over the slot value for that pick – as part of a shrewd strategy of shifting Draft pool dollars to high-upside players in the middle rounds.
Pratt has baseball in his blood. His father, Russell, played college ball at the University of Utah and two of his uncles played pro ball. Scott Pratt was an infielder in the Cleveland and Atlanta systems from 1998-2005, and Trent Pratt was a catcher in the Philadelphia system from 2002-05 after playing two collegiate seasons for Pat Murphy at Arizona State.
“The type of person he is, is super important when you’re making a commitment like this,” Arnold said. “He’s a baseball rat. He loves the game. He loves to play. He loves to practice."
"Anytime an organization decides to make a commitment to a young man,” Murphy said, “they've done their research. We all agree this is the right person to do this with."