One of the most interesting stories to come out of MLB's offseason so far is a contract that the Milwaukee Brewers dished out.
The Brewers reportedly signed their top-ranked prospect (per MLB Pipeline) Jackson Chourio to an eight-year, $82 million deal. There's one peculiar part about this deal: Chourio hasn't seen a single pitch at the Major League level.
Milwaukee has so much faith in the 19-year-old outfield prospect that they're willing to invest in him for almost a decade.
How do the Cleveland Guardians fit into the equation? They have a prospect who, like Chourio, hasn't reached the Big Leagues yet, but should be locked up to a deal long-term. That would be Cleveland's second-ranked prospect (per MLB Pipeline): Kyle Manzardo.
Cleveland acquired Manzardo during last year's trade deadline for what was considered a controversial deal at the time. The Guardians traded their best pitcher, Aaron Civale, for a single prospect amid a race for the division lead.
Fans weren't too thrilled with this deal at the time.
But every part of Manzardo's game points to him being a very good player for a long time. He's got an elite bat, has been described by a rival executive as someone who "rakes," and has flashed some leather at first base, too.
Manzardo slashed .256/.348/.590 with a .938 OPS in 21 games with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers at the end of the 2023 season. He then went out to the desert to play in the Arizona Fall League, where he participated in both the Home Run Derby and Fall Stars Game. He was also one of the best players in the league, hitting the second-most home runs (six, tied).
With all of this in mind, why not take care of the financial part now and sign Manzardo to a long-term deal just like the Brewers did with Chourio?
Is it a risk? Of course, it is.
There's always a chance that a player won't pan out, or other unforeseen circumstances get in the way of someone reaching their fullest potential. However, there's also the possibility of a situation such as Ronald Acuña Jr., who signed an eight-year deal when he was just 21 and in his second season.
Now, Acuña Jr. is on one of the most team-friendly contracts in baseball.
Cleveland is typically reluctant to hand out extensions to players who are performing well at the Major League level, so this scenario with Manzardo seems highly unlikely. But it is a fun hypothetical to think about considering the potential he has.
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