Cooper Pratt was born in Florida, but Oxford has been home for nearly all his life.
It is where his parents, Russell and Heidi Pratt, still live and where Cooper grew up in a baseball family. The 22-year-old Major Leaguer became a star training at The Farm, a baseball development complex on Hwy. 7S that also holds Perry Park, named for the late Dr. Michael Perry.
But, some locals are not as familiar with Pratt because he attended Magnolia Heights School and played his high school ball for the nationally-recognized Chiefs program, although many know him from his daily workouts at The Farm and Perry Park, where he trained alongside many Oxford and Lafayette High players.
Pratt’s summers, since he was 13, were spent criss-crossing the country to play in top tournaments. During the school terms, he made the 45-minute trip to Senatobia with his brothers.
Now, all those miles, all those roads, have taken him considerably farther. Pratt has gone from Oxford to the Major Leagues — and now to October. On Saturday, in Milwaukee, the Brewers will host Game 1 of the division series, putting one of Oxford’s finest athletes in the national spotlight as shortstop for the MLB with the best record in the 2026 regular season.
The Brewers rookie completed his first major-league regular season Sunday after establishing himself as the club’s primary shortstop during a season that began for Pratt at Triple-A Nashville.
Called up June 16, Pratt finished with a .281 batting average in 72 games, collecting 62 hits in 221 at-bats. He scored 33 runs, drove in 34, hit three home runs and stole 18 bases in 21 attempts.
He also reached base at a .349 clip and finished with a .716 OPS.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Pratt said. “I started the year in Nashville just trying to take care of my business, and three months later I’m playing shortstop in the big leagues with a chance to play in October. Some days it still doesn’t feel real.”
“August was tough and I learned a lot about myself,” he said. “The guys in the clubhouse never let me get too high or too low. Being able to finish strong in September and help this team get where we’re going means a lot.”
Perhaps most encouraging was the way Pratt handled the adjustments that inevitably come when a young player reaches the big leagues.
After batting .229 in August, Pratt responded with a strong September. He finished the season playing some of his best baseball as Milwaukee prepared for the postseason.
Pratt’s arrival continued a remarkably quick climb through professional baseball.
Milwaukee selected him in the sixth round of the 2023 MLB Draft after his senior season at Magnolia Heights. Pratt had been considered a possible early-round selection, but his commitment to Ole Miss apparently made some clubs uncertain whether he would sign.
Negotiations with the Seattle Mariners, who had Pratt on their radar since his junior year, had waned, and Cooper was resigned to put a pro career on hold, attend college locally, and continue to train at The Farm.
Pratt had moved into an Ole Miss dorm and was preparing to study a pre-dental curriculum and play for the Rebels when he got the call that the Brewers were willing to take the chance, and offering him nearly $1.5M to sign.
Pratt signed and, less than three years later, was standing at shortstop in the major leagues. This season the money got even better – the Brewers agreed to an 8-year deal that guarantees him $50.75M, plus another $3M signing, with club options in 2034 and 2035, potentially worth another $15 million each year.
Baseball is not about money for the Pratt brothers, though, just something that came with the game that defined their formative years.
Older brother Ozzie played at Magnolia Heights before continuing a sparkling shortstop career at BYU and Southern Miss. Ozzie was a team and statistical leader for the Golden Eagles, who routinely stayed ranked and made post season tournaments while he was hitting first in their lineup.
Younger brother Quincy followed Cooper at MHS and has committed to Ole Miss, while youngest brother Jett is also coming through the same program.
Both Quincy, a catcher and infielder, and Jett, another shortstop, have high national projections. Jett, a sophomore, is regularly mentioned among projected future draft leaders, and both have already played in several MLB sponsored events.
“Baseball has been the thread that runs through the whole family,” Russ said. “Our boys have been at the field together since they could walk. They pushed each other, fought with each other, and made each better. Watching Cooper out there, we see a little bit of all four of them.”
“Baseball has taught our sons how to fail, how to work, and how to be good teammates,” Russ said. “That matters more to us than any stat line. We’re proud of Cooper, and we’re just as proud of how his brothers have been right there with him.”
Russ spent many years driving long nights while others flew to games, but a son in the majors and calming techniques have helped the elder Pratt, still deeply affected by his friend’s airplane accident, began to handle flying without much stress.
Beginning with the oldest brother Ozzie, Dr. Pratt and her husband, have logged countless miles and hotel stays, giving each son’s career special attention while being their individual coach/parent. Many days during summer months, at least two, and often three, of the boys would be playing in different states, but the parents knew all the details of every game, keeping the brothers close through their shared journeys.
“We’ve spent more weekends at ballparks than anywhere else, and we wouldn’t trade a minute of it,” Heidi said. “The wins are great, but what we’ll remember are the car rides, the tournaments, and the boys cheering for each other.”
That family connection made Cooper’s June promotion especially memorable.
When word came that he was headed to Milwaukee, his father — who had not flown since Dr. Perry’s untimely death — began the long drive north from Oxford. His mother was in California with Jett for a baseball tournament and scrambled to change plans so she could reach Milwaukee for Cooper’s debut.
Back then, the goal was simply getting everybody there in time to see Cooper play his first major-league game. It was a memorable night he enjoyed with his parents, grandparents, and a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins. Dozens of friends from Oxford and Senatobia were also at American Family Field for the debut night.
Three months later, the Pratt family has another baseball trip to Milwaukee. And this time it’s in October, and hopefully a perfect ending to a near-perfect baseball season.
Could Oxford possibly have a World Series champion this year? The Brewers have one of the best pitching staffs among playoff teams and a fast, young lineup. The month of October will tell the tale – a WS Game 7 would be on Halloween night – but whatever the outcome, Oxford can boast in Pratt’s memorable rookie season.
As for Cooper, it’s an October to remember forever.
And then will come November, and Oxford, and more long, grinding days of training at The Farm.
“Every kid who’s ever played in the backyard dreams about postseason baseball,” Pratt said. “Getting to do it in my first year with family in the stands is something I will never take for granted.”
This article first appeared in The Oxford Eagle before appearing in SuperTalk Mississippi News.