The Milwaukee Brewers have the best kind of problem right now... they have too much talent and not enough opportunities for everyone to play. As shortstop Cooper Pratt makes his way to the majors fresh off a contract, manager Pat Murphy has some difficult decisions to make about how to keep everyone involved.
It's a bold choice to integrate a young player into the lineup at the height of such success. Since the start of May, the Brewers have the best record in baseball at 27-12. But even while they're holding onto the third-best record in the MLB, there's still room for the Brewers to grow, and adding Cooper Pratt to the rotation can certainly take care of that.
So what does Pratt's arrival mean for the rest of the Brewers?
1. Joey Ortiz and David Hamilton are in for a competition at third base.
If Pratt is genuinely ready to take over at shortstop consistently, this could have massive ramifications for Milwaukee at third base. Through streaky behind the bat, Ortiz has proven himself as a high-impact defensive player, ranking in the 88th percentile in Fielding Run Value per Statcast.
He'll be vying with David Hamilton for the starting role, and he won't back down from the competition easily. After a rough start to his Brewers tenure, Hamilton is showing some flashes of what drew Milwaukee's front office to him in the first place.
Although Ortiz probably has the edge because of the equity he's built up as a defender and in the clubhouse, there's a real chance for either of them to take over at what's been one of the Brewers' weakest positions.
2. Jesús Made will have to force the Brewers' hand.
During a recent segment on MLB TV, Jon Morosi called Cooper Pratt "the future of the shortstop position in Milwaukee." By the young shortstop's own estimation, he'd probably be right, but it should be pointed out that Pratt ranked as the fourth-best prospect in the Brewers' farm system, and the No. 1 ranked prospect in all of baseball is another shortstop — Jesús Made.
At just 19, Made is showing incredible promise from the plate. He's a switch-hitter with a unique blend of speed and strength who should be able to find a role in the majors before we know it. But with Pratt in line ahead of him, Made might have to be a little bit more patient than he expected.
3. Jackson Chourio is finally, no longer the youngest Brewer.
Remember when Jackson Chourio was the youngest player on the Brewers two years ago? Well, up until 21-year-old Cooper Pratt just made his jump to the majors, Chourio still held onto the title.
That should put into perspective just how special what Chourio has accomplished so far is. It's not often that a player as young as Chourio has been able to enter the league and make such an impact in such a short amount of time. Although it hasn't necessarily resulted in accolades just yet, anyone who knows ball understands just how important he is to the Brewers' success.
With Chourio, Pratt, and all of these rising talents blossoming within the Brewers' ecosystem, the future is bright in the Brew City.
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