2024 Milwaukee Brewers Prospect Previews: Cooper Pratt

[Jamie Cameron]

The Brewers selected prep shortstop Cooper Pratt in the 6th round in 2023. Pratt ranked as the 58th-best prospect in the class on our Consensus Draft Board. What can Brewers fans expect from Pratt in 2024?

Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo

The Brewers selecting Cooper Pratt in the sixth round was arguably the coup of the 2023 MLB Draft. After selecting Eric Bitonti in the third round, not even the most ardent Milwaukee optimist could have expected Pratt in the sixth. Such was the level of surprise that the draft rumor mill even posited that Pratt was selected as a backup option in case the Brewers couldn’t reach an agreement with Bitonti. The Brewers, to their credit, made it happen, signing Pratt for $1.35 million, more than $1 million in excess of the slot allotment for the 182nd overall selection.

At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Pratt profiles as a physical, athletic shortstop in a class loaded with them. The former Ole Miss commit has a well-rounded offensive profile underpinned by a great combination of excellent bat-to-ball skills and good swing decisions. That’s a nice place to start. In his final prep year in Mississippi, Pratt chased at a minuscule 17% rate on pitches outside the zone, and had a proclivity for making good contact inside it.

Pratt has a smooth right-handed swing, which he gets started with a moderate leg kick. There’s plenty of bat speed and rhythm to the whole operation. Pratt looks the part at the plate. Most of his power comes to the pull side currently, but with his frame and athleticism, it’s easy to envision him growing into at least average in-game power.

Pratt runs well, especially for a prospect of his size, although he’s not a burner (he did go 4-for-4 in stolen bases in his brief pro debut). Defensively, he has strong actions and good lateral movement. His size may move him off shortstop eventually, but I’d bet the Brewers give him every chance to stick at the position. A plus arm will help there.

Pratt passed the end of 2023 in the Arizona Complex League, and did not disappoint. In 12 games, he hit .356/.426/.444. Obviously that’s a tiny sample, but you want prospects to check every box they can, and Pratt is off to a promising start.

Pratt is already a prospect trending upward, given his combination of pre-draft buzz and his excellent pro debut. If he’s able to unlock any more power, he’s going to be a serious problem. It’s tough to find anything to nitpick in a 19-year-old prospect with average or better tools across the board. Pratt ranked 15th in the Brewers farm system in Baseball America’s recently updated top 30 list. That says far more about the strength of the Brewers system than it does about Pratt. A strong 2024 will see Pratt leap into (or at least be on the fringes of) your favorite top-100 prospect list by the end of the season. This is exactly the kind of swing I’d want my favorite team to take in a draft with a historically excellent prep class.

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What were your thoughts on the Cooper Pratt pick? What are you hoping for from Pratt in 2024?

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[TURBO]

Where will he start out 2024?  Carolina?

[wibadgers23]

1 hour ago, TURBO said:

Where will he start out 2024?  Carolina?

Yes, very likely.