Image credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Situation: The left side of the Brewers infield has struggled mightily at the plate so far in 2026. Luckily, Milwaukee has a slick-fielding shortstop in Triple-A whom they’ve already promised $50 million, so it’s time for Cooper Pratt to man the dirt at Miller Park.
Background: A Mississippi prep shortstop, Pratt was drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 draft by the Brew Crew, but got a seven-figure signing bonus. He had a down spring as a high schooler, but profiled as a power-hitting (likely) third baseman and hit pretty well in the complex after the draft. There were more signs that the power was emerging in 2024, despite a slugging percentage in A-ball that just scraped above .400. Pratt also showed better defensive chops than expected. While the projected plus game power wasn’t present yet, he hit the ball about as hard as the average major-leaguer while spending most of the season at age-19. That, paired with a very solid contact rate, jumped Pratt up into the top three of a very good Milwaukee system, and marked him as the 63rd-best prospect in baseball.
