Cookin' with Cooper; Pratt Discusses Goals, Food, and More

[Seth Stohs]

Last week, we shared Part 1 of Brewers Spotlight with Cooper Pratt. In it, we discussed his amateur playing days leading up to the MLB Draft in July. In Part 2, we talk more baseball, but you will also get a chance to see the personality of Pratt. 

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Soon after the draft in July, Cooper Pratt went to Arizona. He signed his professional contract. He hit .356 with a couple of doubles and a triple. His Arizona Complex League team won the league championship. When the season ended, he stayed around, playing a couple of games a week and continuing to work out. Then, there was the Instructional League and another camp. 

It was only the week before Thanksgiving that Pratt was able to leave Arizona. Instead of heading home to Mississippi, he went to Brigham Young University in Utah. 

“My uncle (Trent Pratt) is the head coach here. I really like Utah. I have grandparents out here, lots of family. It’s just everything I need, everything I could ask for. There are a bunch of other pro guys out here that I can train with. It’s just kind of perfect.”  

There is undoubtedly a focus on continuing to get bigger and stronger, but he’s also working on all aspects of the game. “But I’m mostly just trying to get a little stronger and stay athletic. Everything I can do: hit, throw, take ground balls. Just doing what I can in the offseason, trying to improve my game as much as I can outside the field. ”

Sure, he’s doing baseball work, but he’s also got many people he can hang out with in Utah. “Tons of friends at BYU, family, cousins. I just hang out. BYU friends, baseball friends, grandparents. Eating a lot. I love food.”

You won’t find In-N-Out Burger or Raising Cane’s in Mississippi. There is Chipotle, though, and Pratt is a big fan! 

“I eat a lot of Chipotle. I like Chipotle. I’m a big fan of Chipotle. My bowl is simple, though. Way simple. Rice, chicken, cheese. That’s it. That’s all I need. No beans. Just rice, chicken, cheese. Water cup. Maybe some chips. No guac. Just salsa, extra salt. The usual.”

Would it be reasonable to call Pratt a good cook? Does he have some meals that he takes pride in creating? 

“I can’t cook to save my life. I just learned to cook this season. I have a friend who signed with the Brewers, Blake Whiting. We would cook chicken and rice every night. And eggs and bacon, every day. It was amazing. Amazing.” 

He continued, “I was a professional peanut butter sandwich maker. Maybe a turkey and cheese. I’m kind of a pro at those. Cereal, I’m really good at it. I make a mean bowl of cereal.”  

What about hobbies? Is he good at other sports?  Does baseball-like superstition come into play? 

“Ping Pong, I’m pretty good. I suck at golf. I went golfing one time. The day before I went golfing, I went 3-for-4 or 4-for-4, and then the day after, I went 0-for-5, so I gave it up. No more golfing for me.” 

Let's get back to the baseball talk. What surprised the prospect about his time in Arizona was how many meetings there were. “There’s a lot that goes on. We had a lot of meetings. A lot of stuff that I never really thought about. Things like “first-step” when someone hits (the ball) on defense. They have a lot of analytics that I’d never really thought about. The only statistics I think about are hitting statistics and exit velo. There’s a lot of stuff that goes into it that you don’t think about as a high school player. It’s only stuff that can help.” 

Like most jobs, there can be coaching, training, and individual development plans. It always helps if the people you work with are kind, helpful, and caring. That is what Pratt likes about his first summer in Arizona. “Everyone with the Brewers is super nice. It’s a great group of people. They want to see you get better. It helps when you go from high school to pro ball.” 

“They have every resource you need. The training room. Nutrition. Strength coaches. They have everything you need. There is no excuse once you get to pro ball of not having something. There is everything you need.”  

And now, Pratt and other prospects have about six to eight weeks to rest and workout in preparation for the 2024 season. And it is good to establish and at least think about goals. 

Pratt said, “My goal is, as of now, to hit the ball hard and get on base. That’s always been my approach. Doubles. Gaps. Gap-to-Gap. Eventually, those doubles will turn into home runs, and those singles will turn into doubles.” 

That comes with added strength and experience, and that starts now. Pratt said, “I’m excited for next season to see how I’ve improved. More than 12 games. 120+ games. I’m excited to see what pro ball is actually like in a full season. I’m excited for the challenge. I can’t wait to see what happens. Hopefully, I perform, and hopefully, I move up quickly. That’s always the goal, to get to the big leagues.”

View full article

[Trax]

I'd like to ask him if the Brewers had talked extensively with him before the draft and did they know you would sign at a certain dollar amount?

[Seth Stohs]

9 minutes ago, Trax said:

I'd like to ask him if the Brewers had talked extensively with him before the draft and did they know you would sign at a certain dollar amount?

See part 1... 

[Trax]

48 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

See part 1... 

Just re-read it.  Very in-depth.  Sounds like the team really winged it, they could have lost him to an earlier pick to another team for similar money.  I'm surprised he didn't go earlier than he did.

[Seth Stohs]

10 hours ago, Trax said:

Just re-read it.  Very in-depth.  Sounds like the team really winged it, they could have lost him to an earlier pick to another team for similar money.  I'm surprised he didn't go earlier than he did.

The area scout told me that he knew Pratt would sign and wanted to sign all along, but there definitely was a sense around the league that he might be a tough sign. 

[Austin Tatious]

One of my favorite prospects. Love his profile.  Would like to see how he develops on breaking pitches going away from him.  Can he be patient and go the other way?  May determine a lot.  That’s a tough skill.  

[Trax]

9 hours ago, Seth Stohs said:

The area scout told me that he knew Pratt would sign and wanted to sign all along, but there definitely was a sense around the league that he might be a tough sign. 

Kind of a risky gambit.  Knew he could be signed but risked taking him in Round 6 when some other team could have taken him earlier for the same money.  It worked...

[StephenEvans]

Nice!