Link to Article – What a bunch of crap.
The prediction: Jackson Chourio will finish with a .900 OPS.
This was an aggressive prediction, but Chourio had posted a .915 OPS in 63 second-half games in 2024. He finished 2025 with a slash line of .270/.308/.463 and a .770 OPS that was 21 points lower than his rookie season.
Grade: D
Looking ahead to 2026: Chourio's high chase rate (eighth percentile) was a key reason he failed to improve upon his rookie season, as it led to too much soft contact, even with a league-average strikeout rate. He's still just entering his age-22 season, so there's time to improve, but the likelihood he turns into a big star has dimmed a little.
Yes, Jackson had HUGE expectations and didn't completely shine, but this last sentence is a joke. Am I a homer for my team? YES. But, to say "likelihood he turns into a big star has dimmed a little"??? AT 22?? WTF? How many "big stars" had 2 years in the bigs at 22?
12 comments
Good thing the writer is grading his own dumb predictions. And let’s be honest, this writer isn’t watching like we fans are. Jackson more than passes the eye test.
Crappy take by the article.
Jack-jack was new to the league as a rookie and his hit tool was good enough to rake once the nerves settled down. Year two the book was out on him but he still hit, unlike Keston Hiura. Year three will be the breakout or career “solid not star” year depending if he can readjust–which he probably can.
Quite a few. Acuña, Soto, and Harper are three current guys with 2+ years in the MLB before turning 22. Chourio clearly needs to learn not to chase so much too. It’s his Achilles heel and will be the reason he’s never a “big star” if he doesn’t fix it.
What I’ll remember about Jackson’s season is the leadoff home run against the Dodgers. Still fighting even when everything was against them at 22 when even the vets had folded under pressure.
AI probably wrote it since it’s ESPN
It’s not like the writer said he’s a total bust. Jackson had a sophomore slump. I don’t think that speaks of his diminished ceiling but using a phrase like ‘dimmed a little’ is probably fair.
I disagree with the D grade. He definitely was fine at the very least.
But I do mostly agree with the analysis. As good as the hit tool is, his plate discipline is way worse than I was expecting when he first came up. It’s not currently MLB caliber which makes his statline even more impressive.
I envision some small improvements in that category and see him being a .850 OPS type of guy in his prime. A player that we’re very lucky to have on his contract.
Its like he just used chat gtp to do some cobbled together lame espn article… if he watched the playoffs at all he would be changing that last statement. He was electric all post season as well
What’s the point in getting upset about the opinion of a random ESPN writer that honestly, is perfectly reasonable and not even very negative? I see these types of reactions all the time in the Bucks and Packers subs too. Are we this incapable as a fanbase of handling anything other than glowing praise from the media?
One of the only guys who showed up during the playoffs and played hurt?
Fuck those writers all they do is look at stats.
For those that actually watch the Brewers, Chourio has consistently shown he is more than holding up his end of the bargain. He was doing everything he could to carry this year’s team on his back(and one good hammy) in the playoffs. He has everything you want in a budding star, these articles mean nothing.
Nothing really to add except this is a totally reasonable take. He did not take the leap we hoped for this year, in fact he was actually a little worse than he was last season. That being said he’s still a good player and will be worth the contract (barring some kind of catastrophic collapse), but he’s got to take a big step forward if he’s going to be the kind of consistent All Star level player we’re all hoping he’ll be.