Jazz Chisholm Jr. is on his technique to the Huge Apple. The Yankees introduced they’ve acquired Chisholm from the Marlins for 3 prospects: catcher Agustin Ramirez and infielders Jared Serna and Abrahan Ramirez.
Chisholm, 26, was a consensus top-100 prospect when the Marlins acquired him from the Diamondbacks within the deal that despatched right-hander Zac Gallen to Arizona. Whereas Gallen has blossomed into one of many NL’s high starters since arriving within the desert, Chisholm’s time in Miami has been far much less constant. After a rookie 2021 marketing campaign the place he break up time between shortstop and second base with roughly league common offense, Chisholm dedicated to second full-time in 2022 and broke out in a giant method with a wonderful .254/.325/.535 (136 wRC+) slash line that 12 months. Sadly, Chisholm’s All-Star marketing campaign was minimize brief by a stress fracture in his again that restricted him to only 60 video games that 12 months.
That damage mixed with the Marlins’ lack of high quality choices within the outfield led Miami to maneuver Chisholm out of the infield forward of the 2023 season, putting in him in middle area. The outcomes of that experiment have been considerably combined, as Chisholm took a step backwards on offense with a 103 wRC+ and was restricted to only 97 video games by a bout of turf toe however proved to be surprisingly strong defensively in middle with +4 Outs Above Common, though Defensive Runs Saved disagreed with that evaluation and graded him as one of many ten worst outfield defenders within the sport final 12 months with a -14 determine. Chisholm’s offense hasn’t rebounded a lot in 2024 as he’s slashing .249/.323/.407 (104 wRC+) on the 12 months, however his defensive metrics have settled in a bit extra to color him as a roughly scratch defender (+1 OAA, -4 DRS) in middle area. Maybe most significantly, the teenager has stayed wholesome and on the sphere this 12 months as he’s appeared in 101 of Miami’s 104 video games whereas even getting some work in at second base once more in current weeks.
Chisholm’s versatility is definitely a part of what makes him a gorgeous addition for the Yankees. Whereas Aaron Choose and Juan Soto’s otherworldly 2024 campaigns have saved the Yankees offense afloat for essentially the most half thus far and allowed the membership to put up a strong 60-45 report general, they’ve gone simply 6-13 within the month of July thanks partly to a lackluster supporting forged that has seen solely catcher Austin Wells put up above common numbers by measure of wRC+ amongst wholesome Yankees gamers with no less than 100 PA this 12 months not named Choose or Soto.
With so many spots within the lineup that might do with an improve, Chisholm’s barely higher than common bat and flexibility determine to be a serious asset for the Yankees. SNY’s Andy Martino was amongst these to counsel following information of the commerce that Chisholm’s place with the Yankees shouldn’t be but absolutely set in stone, and it’s straightforward to see why. Chisholm’s means to play middle may permit supervisor Aaron Boone to show to struggling left fielder Alex Verdugo, who has posted a wRC+ of simply 56 for the reason that begin of June, much less usually whereas pushing Choose to a much less taxing spot within the outfield or even perhaps permitting him to DH on days the place each Chisholm and Verdugo are roaming the outfield.
However, Gleyber Torres is having a relative down season (96 wRC+) because the membership’s common second baseman and third base has been a large gap for the Yankees all season, although neither Torres nor Chisholm have any expertise on the sizzling nook within the majors. Given Torres’s wonderful 119 wRC+ towards lefties and Verdugo’s brutal 63 wRC+ towards fellow southpaws this season, it’s potential even to think about Chisholm (who sports activities a good 96 wRC+ towards southpaws despite his personal lefty bat) enjoying the outfield towards lefty starters whereas mixing into the infield extra usually towards righties, permitting the Yankees to play matchups extra successfully for each Verdugo and Torres, particularly within the occasion that New York brass don’t wish to have both Chisholm or Torres be taught third base on the fly.
After all, one other think about Chisholm’s worth to the Yankees is the truth that he’s managed by the top of the 2026 season. For an offense that figures to see Soto, Torres, Verdugo, J.D. Davis, and maybe Anthony Rizzo all depart without spending a dime company following the 2024 marketing campaign, including Chisholm to the lineup as a long-term constructing block alongside sluggers Choose and Giancarlo Stanton in addition to children Wells, Anthony Volpe, and Ben Rice provides the Yankees the power to resolve Chisholm’s long-term dwelling on the diamond primarily based on each his defensive efficiency and the wants of the roster surrounding him in an offseason the place re-signing Soto figures to be the highest precedence. It’s potential to think about Chisholm settling in as a fixture of the membership’s combine in both the infield or outfield relying on each the membership’s exterior additions this winter and the efficiency of up-and-coming children within the membership’s system like infielder Oswald Peraza and outfielder Jasson Dominguez, each of whom may vie for on a regular basis roles in 2025.
As for the Marlins, they’ll obtain a package deal of three prospects in return for the teenager who has been the membership’s lone productive hitter this 12 months ever since Luis Arraez was dealt to San Diego again in Could. The closest to creating an affect on the main league degree of that group is Ramirez, a 22-year-old catcher who’s already on the 40-man roster and reached the Triple-A degree earlier this 12 months. The teenager is simply the #20 prospect within the Yankees system in response to MLB Pipeline however is a much more strong third within the system in response to Baseball America.
A bat-first catcher who slashed a powerful .290/.372/.570 in 58 video games on the Double-A degree this 12 months previous to his promotion to the subsequent degree, Ramirez provides engaging uncooked energy and a knack for making contact within the zone, although upper-level breaking balls have given him hassle and each Pipeline and BA counsel that he’ll want to enhance his swing selections a bit to achieve his potential as a hitter. Scouts have loads of questions on whether or not or not Ramirez will be capable of stick behind the plate within the majors, although there’s optimism that he’ll have a future within the large leagues even when he finally ends up transferring off catcher to a extra offensively demanding place like first base.
Additionally heading to Miami within the return is Serna, a 22-year-old infielder within the midst of a strong season on the Excessive-A degree. The membership’s #19 prospect per Pipeline and #11 prospect per BA, Serna has slashed a decent .253/.341/.444 in 88 video games with the Yankees’ affiliate in Hudson Valley whereas swiping 11 luggage and slugging 13 dwelling runs, though his physique doesn’t mission for rather more energy and he’s anticipated to slug at under common ranges within the majors. Serna can be seen as unlikely to stay at shortstop long-term, with BA noting that his fringey arm means he’s more likely to find yourself at second base though he does have expertise within the outfield and on the sizzling nook as effectively.
As for the latter Ramirez, he signed with the Yankees out of Venezuela again in 2022 on a $30,000 bonus (h/t Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com) and made his stateside debut earlier this 12 months. In 49 video games in complicated ball this 12 months, the 19-year-old has seemed good with a wonderful .348/.447/.513 slash line in 189 journeys to the plate whereas splitting time between shortstop in addition to second and third base. Ramirez shouldn’t be ranked throughout the Yankees’ top-30 prospects by any main public-facing evaluators in the intervening time, though given his youth and massive numbers in complicated ball it wouldn’t be a shock to see him make some noise in that regard with Miami in some unspecified time in the future sooner or later.
Craig Mish of SportsGrid first reported the Yankees and Marlins have been in talks a few deal that’d ship Chisholm to New York for 3 prospects. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic was first to say the deal was achieved. ESPN’s Alden González reported Agustin Ramirez was the headliner and Abrahan Ramirez’s inclusion. Christina De Nicola of MLB.com had Serna’s inclusion.
Picture courtesy of USA At the moment Sports activities.
