Double-A Biloxi Opens The Season Baseball’s Top-Rated Prospect

When the Biloxi Shuckers open their 2023 season Friday night against Pensacola, they’ll do so with the top-rated prospect in all of baseball batting in the leadoff spot.

Hours before first pitch, Baseball America magazine named 19-year-old outfielder it’s top prospect after two players ranked ahead of him to start the season — the Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll and Baltimore’s Gunner Henderson — recorded their 130th big-league at-bats, disqualifying from prospect status.

While it may seem like a mere technicality, Chourio’s ascension to the top seemed like a mere matter of time.

Milwaukee signed the then-17-year-old as an international free agent in January 2021 and slashed .296/.386/.447 in 45 games with the Brewers’ Dominican Summer League affiliate.

He opened last season at Low-A Carolina where he batted .324 in 62 games which earned him the first of two promotions as well as an invitation to participate in the All-Star Futures Game at Dodger Stadium.

Overall, Chourio slashed .288/.342/.538 with 30 doubles, 20 home runs, 75 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 99 games combined for Carolina, High-A Wisconsin and Double-A Biloxi.

In addition to th All-Star honor, Chourio was named the Southern League’s Most Valuable Player for his performance with Carolina as well as the Brewers’ Minor League Player of the Year.

His performance impressed Brewers manager Craig Counsell, who said he wasn’t ruling out the possibility that Chourio, despite his age, could even reach the big leagues at some point in 2023.

“I don’t know why [not],” Counsell said during an offseason fan event. “I think he did so much that why would you say you’re not open to it?”

Chourio was invited to big-league camp and appeared in eight Cactus League games, batting .167 with a walk, two strikeouts and a stolen base in 13 plate appearances before he was assigned to Biloxi.

He’s just
just
one of the young stars on the Shuckers’ Opening Day roster. In all, seven of the Brewers’ top-30 prospects according to MLBPipeline.com will open the season under manager Mike Guerrero, including top-ten prospects Jefferson Quero and Tyler Black.

Class AA Biloxi Shuckers

League: Southern

2022 record: 67-68 (3rd, South Division)

Website: BiloxiShuckers.com

Home Field: MGM Park (Opened – 2015; Capacity – 4,500)

Roster

Manager: Mike Gurrero (Seventh season)

Coaches: Bench – Nick Stanley; Hitting – Chuckie Caufield; Pitching – Will Schierholz; Bullpen – Josh Spence

Pitchers (16): Robbie Baker, Nick Bennett, Harold Chirino, Justin Jarvis, Brandon Knarr, James Meeker, Christian Mejias, Ryan Middendorf, Tobias Myers, Carlos Rodriguez, Adam Seminaris, T.J. Shook, Darrell Thompson, Abner Uribe, Zach Vennaro, Justin Yeager

Catchers (4): Wes Clarke, Nick Kahle, Jason Lopez, Jeferson Quero

Infielders (7): Tyler Black, Noah Campbell, Isaac Collins, Ethan Murray, Felix Valerio, Zavier Warren, Freddy Zamora

Outfielders (4): Jackson Chourio, Tristen Lutz, Carlos Rodriguez, Lamar Sparks