Jackson Chourio’s 20th Homer Puts Him In Elite Company

Image credit: Jackson Chourio (Photo Courtesy Wisconsin Timber Rattlers)

By now, it’s clear that Jackson Chourio is an exemplary prospect who is having an equally exemplary season. The outfielder, who ranks No. 2 on the Top 100, has lit up the lower minors since his promotion from extended spring training in early May. 

He skipped over the Arizona Complex League entirely, tore up the Carolina League and then became one of the youngest players to earn a spot in the annual Futures Game. Shortly after returning, he was promoted to High-A and has continued to hold his own against universally older competition. 

He’s already socked eight home runs in just 28 games at his new level, and in doing so became part of a notable club. His last longball was his 20th of the season, which made him one of just five players since 2006 who hit 20 or more home runs in their age-18 season while playing exclusively above the Rookie levels. 

Here’s the list:

Player	Team	Year	HRs	Games
Jackson Chourio	Brewers	2022	20	89
Fernando Tatis Jr.	Padres	2017	22	131
Hudson Potts	Padres	2017	20	125
Giancarlo Stanton	Marlins	2008	39	125
Chris Marrero	Nationals	2007	23	125

There are a couple of interesting notes from that chart.

– Of the group, Tatis was the only player to see time at the upper levels; he played 14 games for Double-A San Antonio in 2017 and hit one home run.

– Holy moly, what a season Stanton had in 2008. Thirty-nine home runs in 125 games placed him just short of Russell Branyan’s South Atlantic League record. 

– Even if he plays in all six of Wisconsin’s games the rest of the way, Chourio will not get to 100 games for the season unless he is promoted to Double-A Biloxi for its final series. Otherwise, he will hold the distinction of being the only player on this list to play in fewer than 100 games and still reach 20 home runs. 

– Another player who hit 20 or more homers as an 18-year-old at the Class A levels? Andruw Jones, who hit 25 home runs for the Macon Braves. He ranked as the No. 1 prospect on the following season’s Top 100 and was hitting home runs in the World Series that October.

What lies ahead for Chourio is unclear, but his 2022 season puts him among some elite company.