Before He Threw a Pitch
In December 2023, Mark L. Attanasio and the Milwaukee Brewers did something unusual. They signed Jackson Chourio, a Venezuelan prospect who had never played a game in the majors, to an 8-year, $82 million extension. No debut. No track record at the big league level. Just a bet on a teenager’s potential and a willingness to lock in the bet before anyone else could.
It was the kind of move that only works if you’re right. If Chourio developed into a star, the Brewers had already secured him at a discount. If he didn’t, they’d be paying for a player who never became what they thought he’d be.
When the Check Gets Really Big
Fourteen months later, in December 2024, Steve Cohen and the Mets of New York signed Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal. Soto was not a prospect. He was already one of the best hitters in baseball—a three-time All-Star with a World Series ring. The Mets weren’t betting on potential. They were betting that adding a generational talent at age 26 would be worth the investment, even at that price.
The contract was the largest in North American sports history. It was also, in a sense, the opposite of the Chourio deal. One owner was buying hope. The other was buying a certainty that he was ready to pay for.
The Middle Ground
Between those two extremes sat two other moments that told a different story about how ownership values Latin American talent right now.
In August 2025, the Orioles of Baltimore signed Samuel Basallo, a Dominican catcher, to an 8-year, $67 million extension. Basallo had debuted just days before. He wasn’t unproven like Chourio had been—he’d actually played—but he was barely proven. The Orioles were betting on a player they’d seen in a major league uniform for maybe a week.
And in April 2025, Rogers signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500 million extension. Guerrero Jr. was already a star. He’d been a top-three MVP finisher multiple times. The Azulejos of Toronto were locking up a cornerstone player before he could test free agency.
What This Actually Means
These four deals—spanning 18 months and four different franchises—reveal how ownership sees Latin American players right now. It’s not one story. It’s at least three.
There’s the Brewers’ bet on youth and potential. There’s the Mets’ bet on proven excellence. There’s Baltimore’s bet on a player they barely knew. And there’s Toronto’s bet on keeping a homegrown star from leaving.
The money itself tells you something about franchise size and patience. The Brewers, a mid-market team, spent $82 million on an unknown. The Mets, owned by a billionaire who’s been explicit about his willingness to spend, spent $765 million on a known commodity. Baltimore spent $67 million on a hunch. Toronto spent $500 million to avoid losing someone.
What connects them is this: they all involved players with Latin American roots or origins. Jackson Chourio from Venezuela. Juan Soto, whose family is Dominican and Puerto Rican. Samuel Basallo from the Dominican Republic. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., whose father is a Hall of Famer from the Dominican Republic.
That’s not coincidence. It’s a reflection of where baseball talent is coming from and where ownership is willing to spend.
Why It Still Matters
We’re now in 2026, and these deals are either working or they’re not. Chourio either developed or he didn’t. Soto either makes the Mets contenders or he doesn’t. Basallo either becomes the catcher Baltimore needed or he becomes an expensive lesson. Guerrero Jr. either stays worth $500 million to Toronto or he becomes a cautionary tale about locking up players too early.
But the real story isn’t about whether any single deal works out. It’s about what ownership is willing to bet on. A teenager with tools. A 26-year-old with a track record. A rookie. A star trying to avoid free agency.
Each owner made a different calculation. Each one put real money behind it. And each one—whether they knew it or not—was making a statement about where they think baseball talent lives and how much they’re willing to pay to keep it.
The number: The Brewers signed Jackson Chourio to $82 million before his MLB debut; the Mets signed Juan Soto to $765 million as a proven star; Baltimore signed Samuel Basallo for $67 million days after his debut.
Ownership data verified as of 2026-08-12.
