Chisholm leaves lasting first impression
Jazz Chisholm woke up Thursday morning and felt like it was Groundhog Day. His former Double-A Jackson teammates had moved on from Biloxi, but the shortstop was still in town, eager to greet his new Jacksonville mates.MLB.com's No. 59 overall prospect made a solid first impression, finishing 3-for-4 with a
Jazz Chisholm woke up Thursday morning and felt like it was Groundhog Day. His former Double-A Jackson teammates had moved on from Biloxi, but the shortstop was still in town, eager to greet his new Jacksonville mates.
MLB.com's No. 59 overall prospect made a solid first impression, finishing 3-for-4 with a homer and a triple while scoring twice and knocking in two runs as the Jumbo Shrimp blanked the Shuckers, 4-0, at MGM Park.
The 21-year-old and the Generals wrapped up a five-game set in Biloxi on Wednesday, when he was traded from Arizona to Miami in exchange for highly touted right-handed pitcher Zac Gallen. The shortstop and the Jumbo Shrimp began a five-game set against the Shuckers on Thursday.
"I felt like I was just here," Chisholm laughed.
But he didn't feel any added pressure joining a different team.
"There was actually less pressure," he said. "My parents always said, 'Your first impression is your last impression.' Today, everyone just welcomed me.
"I was super excited. This was the first time all year that I hit in the 2-hole, really, the first time in the top three all year. And when I came out, there was a familiar face, Anfernee Seymour. We were all smiles."
Chisolm and Seymour grew up playing against each other in the Bahamas.
Gameday box score
Miami's fourth-ranked prospect flied out to left field his first at-bat against right-hander Bowden Francis (5-7). He lined a two-out base hit to center in the third.
"My first at-bat, I was just thinking, 'Let's get a hit.' The guys know I can play, it's not just what they hear. I know they wanted to see me contribute," Chisholm said.
The left-handed hitter's first notable contribution came in the fifth. With two outs and Daniel Castano on second after a double, Chisholm tripled to center on a 3-2 offering from Francis to give the Jumbo Shrimp a 1-0 lead. No. 13 Marlins prospect Lewin Diaz followed with a two-run dinger, his seventh, to cap the frame.
In the seventh, the 2015 international signee flashed what MLB Pipeline deems an "explosive swing that has natural loft." Facing left-handed reliever Daniel Brown, Chisholm deposited a 2-2 pitch over the right-field fence for his 19th long ball.
"After my fourth at-bat, I was hoping to get another. I was going to go for two, no matter what," he admitted, knowing a double would complete the cycle.
Last season, he hit .272/.329/.513 with 25 homers while striking out 149 times between Class A Kane County and Class A Advanced Visalia. The then-D-backs top prospect was promoted to Double-A at the start of the season, and he's batted .211/.310/.447 with 19 dingers and 123 whiffs.
"The trade was a huge surprise," Chisholm said. "I was upset. I'd been with the D-backs the last four years. I felt like I'd lost my parents. I was sad when the coaches, the coordinators, the team called me."
However, he realized that's the way the game is played.
"It's a business," the 5-foot-11, 165-pound prospect said. "I'm really excited. To be on another team that wants me that bad, it's amazing -- especially when it's the team you grew up watching and hoped to play for.
"I was really hoping [Marlins CEO Derek] Jeter would call me yesterday," he admitted. "He was my idol and I watched him all my life. I'll get to pick his brain in Spring Training."
Chisholm embraces his place in the Marlins organization and is eager to fulfill expectations.
"I can help with my defense and with the bat, with the amount of power I have to drive in runs," he said. "I want to help bring a championship back to Miami. We've got a great future with [Marlins No. 1 prospect] Sixto Sanchez, [No. 3] Jesús Sánchez, Diaz."
Castano (4-1) picked up the win, scattering four hits across a season-high seven innings. He struck out five and didn't issue any walks.
Duane Cross is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @DuaneCrossMiLB.
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