Chourio working to become part of Crew's elite defense

PHOENIX -- The Brewers’ deep and talented outfield corps has a defining attribute: strong defensive play.

Every Milwaukee outfielder was ranked among the top defenders in the National League last season, a principal reason the Brewers led the NL in defensive runs saved as calculated by the Fielding Bible.

“The name of the game is to score more runs than the other team, so if you can prevent them from scoring runs with good defense, that only helps,” star left fielder Christian Yelich said.

Statcast’s numbers agreed.

Yelich was rated three outs above the average left fielder in 2023, tied for second in the Majors.

Joey Wiemer: six outs above average in center, sixth in the NL among full-time center fielders.

Sal Frelick: seven outs above average while splitting time between right and center.

Blake Perkins: seven outs about average while playing at least nine games at all three spots.

And Garrett Mitchell “saved” three runs above average in his 19 games last season, missing almost five months because of a shoulder injury.

“We’ve got some quality outfielders,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.

It is a high standard, and Jackson Chourio is experiencing some of the perhaps expected growing pains for a player who has an eight-year, $82 million contract but has played only six games above the Double-A level while attempting to ascend to the Brewers’ Major League defensive level.

“He has played subpar defense,” Murphy said matter-of-factly, “But I think a lot of that is that extra weight [of expectations] he is carrying around. I think that will improve for sure.

“He’s a young kid. I’m just going to keep believing in him. He’s probably pressing. He also did some really good things today. Upside is fantastic.”

Chourio, MLB Pipeline's No. 2 overall prospect, had a bunt single in three plate appearances but also had a challenging day in his first start in right field during the Brewers’ 4-3 victory over the Angels in Cactus League play on Monday.

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He misplayed a hard-hit line drive by Mickey Moniak leading off the second inning, taking an acute angle on a ball that skipped past him on a quick hop and rolled to the wall. He was charged with a two-base error, although DL Hall kept that runner from scoring.

Chourio may have been attempting to make up for that play on his throwing error in the third inning. With Aaron Hicks on first base and one out, Chourio charged Luis Rengifo’s line-drive single and overthrew third base attempting to catch Hicks, a throw that was unlikely to have retired the runner.

Chourio has spent the bulk of his Cactus League time in center field, with 63 innings there and 22 innings in left.

Murphy, who knows a lot about the high sky and the windy conditions that prevail in Arizona, sees the advantages in giving Chourio all the reps he can get.

"If there is ever a place to learn how to play outfield it is Arizona, because it is not kind to you when it comes to sun, wind, sky,” Murphy said.

“All of that is as difficult as you are going to see. All that has contributed, and I think it is a good thing that he has been pretty average out there.”

Like the Brewers, scouts believe in Chourio’s defensive ability. He is rated a 60 fielder by MLB Pipeline using the 20-80 Major League scale, in which 60 is firmly above Major League average.

Chourio has spent time on the back fields working with outfield and first base coach Quintin Berry, who is in his fourth season in the organization after a five-year Major League outfield career.

“Chourio has done some nice things, he really has,” Murphy said. “You can see it in him. You can see the talent. There are flashes at the plate that he’s been very, very good.

“Other stuff, he has a long way to go. We didn’t sign him for just this year, we signed him for the future. I think he’ll grow leaps and bounds. He will grow more accustomed to what it takes.”