Brewers Emerging Superstar Named Top Player Born In 2004 By Insider

Oh, to be this young and this gifted...

Aug 27, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) tosses his bat after hitting a home run during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Brewers haven't always been a team whose trademark was superstars.

Sure, Robin Yount and Paul Molitor were among the best players of their era. Ryan Braun won an MVP award. So, too, did Christian Yelich. But a Brewer has rarely been at the forefront of baseball fans' minds when asked about the faces of the sport.

That may be changing in front of our eyes in 2024. The Brewers' rookie phenom in left field has been making waves with his rapid improvement, and he's doing things at his age few have ever matched in baseball history.

Rookie left fielder Jackson Chourio, 20, has been a sensation in Milwaukee. After some growing pains early, he has blossomed into a key contributor, with the potential to be one of the best all-around players in the game. His accomplishments recently earned him major recognition from a national baseball insider.

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel ranked his top 10 players born every year from 1999 to 2008 on Wednesday, and Chourio earned the number-one spot among players born in 2004. McDaniel also noted that Chourio "remain(ed) in the top spot" from the same ranking a season ago.

Not only was Chourio the only player born in 2004 on McDaniel's list to debut in the majors, he also remains the only player born that year, period, to appear in a Major League Baseball contest.

On the season, Chourio sports a healthy .763 OPS, with 16 home runs and 19 stolen bases. MLB.com's Sarah Langs noted on Aug. 15 that Chourio was one of just six players under 20 1/2 years old in history to put up a 15-15 season, joining names like Bryce Harper, Adrian Beltré and Ken Griffey Jr.

Chourio has been incredible since the All-Star break in particular. He went into the break with a .678 OPS, but has posted a .934 in 33 games since. He has stolen seven bases in August, two more than in any other month of his young career.

If Chourio keeps growing, the Brewers stand as good a shot as any team to bring home a National League pennant and World Series in 2024. If that happens, perhaps he will be recognized as one of the faces of the sport even sooner than his biggest proponents expected.

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