Jackson Chourio, #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers, in action against the New York Mets. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
Venezuelan right fielder Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers, at the age of 20 years and 40 days, became the fourth youngest player in MLB history since 1900 to have at least four home runs in his first 17 career games.
Chourio hit a solo home run off of St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Miles Mikolas in the top of the fourth inning, going 370 feet over the right field wall, to help the Brewers take a 5-4 lead. The Brewers beat the Cardinals 12-5 on the road on Saturday for their 13th win of the season.
The only other three players to accomplish that historic feat to start their MLB career were Boston Red Sox right fielder Tony Conigliaro at 19 years and 120 days old in 1964, Atlanta Braves center fielder Andruw Jones at 19 years and 138 days old, hit 5 home runs thru 17 games in 1996, and Kansas City Athletics infielder Lou Klimchock at 19 years and 345 days old from 1958-59, Advanced Statistician Sarah Langs reported on April 20.
During spring training, Chourio batted .323 with 67 plate appearances and played in 18 games, smacking 20 hits, three doubles, one triple, four RBI, two stolen bases, five walks, and 13 strikeouts.
On December 4, 2023, at the winter meetings in Nashville, Chourio signed an eight-year contract worth $82 million with two club options for the 2032 and 2033 seasons. This was the largest contract given to a player before making the official major league roster, surpassing Luis Robert Jr.’s six-year, $50 million contract from 2016.
Chourio signed as an international free agent with the Brewers on January 15, 2021, for a $1.9 million signing bonus before making his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League with the organization in the 2021 regular season.
Chourio is ranked as the No. 2 prospect from MLBpipeline.com to start the 2024 regular season.
He played in 17 games in Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional in the 2023-24 winter league season with the Aguilas del Zulia. He batted .379 in 75 plate appearances, smacking 25 hits, five doubles, one triple, one home run, six RBI, eight walks, and eight strikeouts.
In three seasons in the minors between the DSL in 2021, Low-A Carolina, High-A Wisconsin, and Double-A Biloxi in 2022, and last season in Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A Nashville, Chourio has batted .286, playing in 272 games with 1,211 plate appearances, ripping 312 hits, 63 doubles, nine triples, 47 home runs, 191 RBI, 68 stolen bases, 98 walks, 250 strikeouts, and a .837 OPS.
Jackson’s brother, Low-A Lynchburg, right fielder Jaison Chourio of the Cleveland Guardians organization, also homered for the first time in his professional career against the Low-A Salem, Boston Red Sox organization on April 20. The Lynchburg Hillcats won 13-8 over the Salem Red Sox.
Jaison Chourio drove a two-run home run over the center field wall and bounced off the pitch clock onto the dirt at Carilion Clinic Field at Salem Memorial Ballpark in Salem, VA, off Low-A Salem relief pitcher Denis Reguillo.
Jackson Chourio homered on Saturday afternoon.
A few hours later, younger brother Jaison slugged his second home run of the season for the @LynHillcats.Even being 678 miles apart, the Chourio brothers were still able to create another baseball memory: https://t.co/UKvBS0dzSu pic.twitter.com/ku9BnC5azm
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 21, 2024
Jaison Chourio is the No. 5 ranked prospect from MLBpipeline.com in the Guardians organization.