The Milwaukee Brewers are celebrating this week as rookie ace Jacob Misiorowski makes the trip to Atlanta for his first MLB All-Star Game. It was been a truly meteoric rise for the 23-year-old fireballer, who only needed five starts and 25.2 innings to receive an invite from the league. Is it a little silly for such a fresh face to be on this stage? Yes, but Misiorowski is a special talent and he's what fans want to see. It could be worse.
With a 4-1 record and a 2.81 ERA, Misiorowski has been absolutely sensational for Milwaukee. It's a small sample size and he still has control issues to clean up, but it's not hard to imagine this being the first of many All-Star appearances to come. The next one will be more deserving. That said, Misiorowski's excellence leaves the Brewers in a tricky spot.
Of course it's great that 'The Miz' is, well, 'The Miz.' How many 23-year-olds get christened with a nickname of import so early in their careers? But it also means the price is rising. The Brewers want to knock out an extension early, per MLB insider Francys Romero. The question is... will Milwaukee actually pay up?
The Milwaukee Brewers are interested in working on a contract extension for star rookie Jacob Misiorowski, according to industry sources.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) July 14, 2025
They made an offer earlier in the 2025 season, but they’re still far apart from what Misiorowski and his agency are looking for.
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Jacob Misiorowski is about to learn the same lesson Corbin Burnes did in Milwaukee
Corbin Burnes' early career arc was awfully similar to that of Misiorowski. He was a fourth-round pick in 2016, but quickly worked his way up the farm system ranks in Milwaukee before earning his big league call-up two years later in 2018. Burnes made 30 appearances as a rookie and was electric from the jump, finishing with a 2.61 ERA in 38.0 innings.
Misiorowski is on a slightly more accelerated path — Burnes didn't hit the starting rotation full-time until his fourth MLB season — but he's a second-round pick who has thus far exceeded all expectations. If he can put together six strong seasons in Milwaukee, there's a nonzero chance Misiorowski will surpass Burnes in the estimation of Brewers fans. But then what happens?
Ahead of the final year of his contract, Burnes was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles because the Brewers dreaded the $200 million-plus extension that loomed on the horizon. Burnes would up thriving in Baltimore for a season and signing in Arizona the following winter for a discount of... $210 million over six years. A lot of money.
The Corbin Burnes trade could be a sign of what's to come for Jacob Misiorowski
It's always risky to spend that much on a pitcher, as Burnes quickly proved by tearing his UCL in year one of that new deal. But prior to the injury, Burnes earned every penny. He has been one of the most consistent performers in MLB over the last half-decade, including a Cy Young award in 2021 and five straight top-10 finishes in Cy Young voting.
Misiorowski isn't accomplished on that level yet, but his value is rising exponentially with each successful start. The Brewers want to re-sign him, sure, but we're talking about the Brewers. We know Milwaukee isn't going to break the bank. In fact, the only reason the Brewers want to hammer out an extension so soon is so that they can get Misiorowski on the books for a below-market price before he can better establish his worth.
But The Miz is, wisely, playing hard to get. Because if his current career arc continues, he could be earning historic money seven years from now. That is not guaranteed, and there is substantial risk in passing up a long-term extension so early in one's career. But if Misiorowski can stay healthy and keep developing his command without compromising his stuff, that bag is coming. And he can get more from a team not located in Milwaukee, guaranteed.
If the Brewers don't pony up and exceed the conventional price point for a rookie pitcher with only five starts to his name, this will drag out. Potentially until free agency, or when the Brewers decide that trading Misiorowski for a prospect haul is more enticing than actually paying him.