This overlooked prospect seems poised for a Guardians spring training breakout

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that Guardians outfield prospect Jaison Chourio is only 20. After signing with the Guardians as an international free agent before the 2022 season, Chourio has now recorded four seasons in the Guardians’ minor league system despite still not being able to legally drink. 

And while Chourio’s prospect shine took a bit of a hit last year thanks to a subpar season, he still has all the skills needed to succeed in MLB and seems poised for a big year where he could get even closer to making his big league debut. 

Guardians prospect Jaison Chourio seems poised for a big 2026 season 

Jaison Chourio, the younger brother of Brewers phenom Jackson Chourio, thrust himself onto the national stage in 2024 thanks to a breakout season at Single-A Lynchburg when he slashed .269/.414/.398 with five home runs, 58 RBI and 44 steals. 

But it didn’t take long for the buzz from season to go by the wayside thanks to a shoulder injury he suffered at the start of last season. While he ended up playing in 87 games between High-A and Rookie Ball, he hit .237 with two home runs, 22 RBI and just nine steals. 

While he got better as the season went on, it wasn’t the kind of season that was expected from a guy who entered the season with lofty expectations. 

The biggest red flags from Churio’s rough 2025 season were the extreme dips in his bat speed and exit velocity, though it’s fair to assume that most of those struggles were due to the fact that he was working through that aforementioned shoulder injury. 

The good news is that Chourio seemed to turn a page this offseason in the Venezuelan Winter League when he hit .323 in 46 games for Aguilas del Zulia. Although he only hit two home runs, he drove in 22 runs, stole nine bases and had 25 walks compared to just 31 strikeouts 

It seems like Chourio is finally back to being healthy, which is a great sign for the Guardians. 

Chourio is pretty much the epitome of all the things the Guardians love in their position players prospects: He has a great eye, plays solid defense and is an above-average baserunner. 

But it can’t be overstated how big of a season this will be for Chourio. While he’s still only 20, he’s going to be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft after the season so the Guardians are going to need to make some kind of decision about his future. 

While Chourio probably won’t get close to the Guardians’ major league roster, a strong showing from him in 2026 could help secure him a spot in the future of the Guardians’ work-in-progress outfield.