When the Yankees acquired Miami Marlins OF/2B Jazz Chisholm, they weren’t entirely sure where they would feature him defensively. There were rumors that Gleyber Torres could be moved or possibly transition to the hot corner, but the Yankees didn’t necessarily love that idea.
Aaron Judge has been manning centerfield this season, and Chisholm wasn’t going to take his spot, so the Yankees decided to make a risky move and put him in a position he’s never played before: third base.
Jazz Chisholm’s Defensive Transition with the Yankees
Instead of throwing a tantrum, Chisholm accepted the challenge and has been excellent on the hot corner, not only putting together a solid defensive showing but also making excellent offensive contributions.
Overrated? Chisholm Brushes Off Criticism
However, a recent poll by The Athletic indicated that Chisholm was rated one of the most overrated players in baseball, earning 20.3% of the votes. Recently, Jazz responded to the poll, brushing off the negativity and trying to steer the conversation in a more positive direction.
“What was it, like 11 players? I definitely knew who they were talking to, too. It wasn’t hard to find out who the players were,” Chisholm said, per Fox Sports’ Deesha Thosar. “I didn’t really care. Who cares what somebody else has to say about me? If he really voted that I’m overrated, that means you got something in your psyche, brother.”
Chisholm’s Performance Since Joining the Yankees
With Miami before the trade, Chisholm hit only .249 with a .323 OBP, including 13 homers and 50 RBIs over 101 games. Over 13 games and 58 plate appearances with the Yankees, he’s hitting .296/.345/.704, including seven homers and 11 RBIs with four stolen bases and 190 wRC+. Chisholm believes that to be overrated in general, you must be considered good, and that’s the perspective he’s leaning into. “
“Like me, I’m not going out and voting who’s an overrated player because I don’t even know who an overrated player is,” he said. “I don’t look at people that hard. I only look at people who are good, I’m sorry. So you call me overrated, I gotta be good. That’s how I look at it.”
Chisholm’s Adaptation to Third Base
Defensively this season, Chisholm has been a solid second baseman and outfielder. However, he’s played 107 innings at third base with a .971 fielding percentage, including two outs above average. For a spot he’s never played before, the Yankees found a potential long-term solution.
- Yankees ink depth outfielder to $5 million deal, avoiding arbitration
- Yankees expected to release Gold Glove outfielder, saving $5.7 million
- Yankees ‘considering’ 4 star players if they miss out on Juan Soto
Future Decisions for the Yankees
Of course, Torres is headed into free agency, and there will be a vacancy at second, so Jazz could transition back to that spot if the front office wants to go find another defensive solution at third. The free agent options don’t seem promising, so they may have to look to the trade market to find a competent solution. Alternatively, they could consider an internal prospect like Jorbit Vivas or Caleb Durbin.