Brewers Slugger Reportedly In Running For NL Award Amid Impressive Season

The young star has a bright future

Milwaukee Brewers Left Fielder Jackson Chourio (11) bunts a ball during a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. - Max Correa / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Max Correa / The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Milwaukee Brewers have a roster loaded with talent, but one rookie is making a strong case to take home an end-of-year trophy.

The Brew Crew's success this season can be attributed to almost any position on the diamond, but rookie outfielder Jackson Chourio has more than deserved his flowers. One insider believes the 20-year-old should be in the running for National League Rookie of the Year.

"Chourio's OPS got as low as .623 back on June 22, but he's ripped off a .916 OPS since then," Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer wrote Thursday morning. "And it couldn't have come at a better time for the Brewers, who may be without Christian Yelich for the rest of the year because of a back issue. Otherwise, Chourio's 12 Defensive Runs Saved put him among the game's top outfielders. On paper, he's not far off from being a clone of (Jackson) Merrill."

Chourio is hitting .272 with 30 extra-base hits including 14 home runs, 51 RBIs and a .747 OPS (106 OPS+) in 107 games this season.

Rymer put Chourio at the third-highest odds to win the NL Rookie of the Year, with Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes and Merrill in the two spots ahead.

Only time will tell if the 20-year-old can win the award, but the outfielder likely will be focused on helping Milwaukee win a World Series. It should be noted that The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal notably left Chourio out of his list of potential award winners.

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